Absolution in a Dying World
by Magus1108
Summary: When Kaede Akamatsu finds herself waking up on a beach, with no memory of how she got there, she doesn't know what to expect: and after she and nineteen other people are thrust into a Killing Game, she has no choice but to try and rally everyone together against their captor. But as deaths mount and tragedy strikes, can she hold it all together? (Danganronpa 1, 2, and V3 Mashup)
1. Prologue 0-1

**8:35** **AM**, **Day** **1**

**?**

Kaede Akamatsu found herself waking up with a pounding headache. With a soft groan, she slowly stirred into consciousness, blinking blearily as she tried to take in her surroundings. The bright, harsh light of the sun didn't help her aching head at all, and only made her wince as she looked around. However, she didn't recognize the area around her immediately, and if anything her surroundings only made her more confused. Was she...on a beach?

She slowly stood up, feeling the soft crunch of sand beneath her feet. She could see a few palm trees around her, while in front of her stood the wide expanse of the crystal blue ocean, the water stretching out as far as the eye could see. For a good moment, Kaede stared at the sight, dumbfounded.

She was at the beach all right. But...how? And perhaps more importantly, why?! Very quickly, Kaede checked herself over, and to her relief she was still wearing clothes. Her long-sleeved white shirt, and the pink sweater-vest over it, were both still on her body, as was the purple skirt with musical notes that she wore. And she could still feel the weight of her backpack behind her, so it was still there too. All in all, she still had all her clothes, and her body didn't seem any worse for wear, which relieved her quite a bit.

Still, what was going on? The last thing she remembered was...ugh, what _was_ the last thing she remembered? It was all a hazy blur, for some reason. Kaede was fairly sure she'd gotten...something? Something that had made her happy? But what was that?

Something nagged at her mind, Kaede could feel it. She was just on the verge of remembering something—

"Ugh..."

The groans of another person disrupted her train of thought, and immediately she found herself searching for the source. Not far from where she'd woken up, she spotted a boy near her age, also laying on the beach. He was dressed in a formal black suit of some sort, almost like a uniform, and he had a black cap that covered his head and obscured some of his features. His body was shifting slowly against the sand, soft grunts and noises escaping his lips as he, too, stirred into consciousness.

At once Kaede rushed to his side, kneeling down beside the boy. She placed a hand on his chest and gently shook his body, a surge of fear coursing through her body. He didn't seem to be injured, from what she could tell, but she found herself concerned nonetheless!

"Hey! Are you all right? D-Do I need to call an ambulance or something?" she asked, her brow knitted in worry.

Between her words and physical stimulation, the boy emerged into full consciousness. He blinked his eyes rapidly, revealing a set of yellow orbs beneath. He abruptly sat up, wincing slightly as he brought a hand to his head, knocking his cap askew.

"Ah...I-I think I'm all right..." he breathed, though a grimace still tugged at his lips. He looked around, both at her and their surroundings, until his gaze firmly fixed on her. "Um...are we...on a _beach_?"

His tone was incredulous and uncertain, which gave Kaede a small sense of relief...and disappointment. She felt glad that she wasn't the only one in the dark here, but at the same time, having some answers would be nice. Still, she didn't dwell on that feeling too long.

"Yeah, it seems that way," Kaede acknowledged, giving an awkward little chuckle. "I guess you don't know why we're here either? Or how we got here, for that matter? I...don't think I was anywhere near a beach when I went to sleep last night. Oh, um, I'm Kaede, by the way. Kaede Akamatsu."

"Oh, I'm Shuichi Saihara. It's, uh, nice to meet you," he introduced himself in turn, nodding at her. His eyes soon drifted back to their surroundings, a more concentrated look falling upon his face as he took everything in. "What _is _the last thing you remember, by the way?"

That was a good question. Kaede closed her eyes in concentration, trying her best to scrounge up some scrap of memory, something to tell her what she'd been doing last, before all this. Though her head still throbbed uncomfortably, which made it harder to fully recall anything.

"I'm...not sure. It's all kind of a big blur right now. But...I think it was something that made me happy? Like, I'd gotten something, like a present maybe, that really got me excited?" she ventured, crossing her arms as she did her best to think.

"Got you excited?" Shuichi questioned back at her, tilting his head slightly. After a moment though, his eyes widened, and an almost bashful look crossed his face. "Wait...could it be...that you're _that _Kaede Akamatsu?"

Kaede felt a small blush tinge her cheeks, reeling back a bit as she shyly turned her head away. Well, it wasn't too surprising that he'd make that connection. Still, it felt a little embarrassing. "Ah, yes, well...I am! I'm Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist...at least, that's what a lot of people call me. I haven't received a letter from Hope's Peak yet, so it isn't official..."

She trailed off, as the missing pieces finally clicked into her mind. All at once, her memory—some of it at least—returned to her. "That was it! That's what got me so excited! I had received an acceptance letter from Hope's Peak Academy!"

A beaming smile graced her lips, her earlier distress forgotten for the moment. That's right! She'd just finished up a concert, and her manager had given her some wonderful news. Hope's Peak Academy had sent her a letter, officially inducting her into the Ultimates Program! She'd been so excited, that she had dashed off to find her sister and tell her the good news...

….

But that's where her memories ended, frustratingly enough. Kaede couldn't remember anything after that.

"Is that so? Well, it seems we have something in common." Shuichi's voice brought her back to reality, and she focused her eyes back on him. He still seemed a bit bashful, but some of his seriousness had returned to him.

Seeing her questioning look, he explained. "Well, I've gotten a letter from Hope's Peak too. I...may not look like it, but people call me the Ultimate Detective. The last thing I remember was getting ready for my first day there, and going inside. After that...nothing."

"Really? I don't have any memories of going to school. I just...remember getting the letter." she countered, confusion laced in her tone.

"You don't? Now that's odd..." Shuichi replied, murmuring to himself more than anything else. His face scrunched up in thought after that, though that expression abruptly left as he opened his eyes, taking in their surroundings again.

"We can talk about that later. We...should really get up, and see if we can find someone. We might get answers that way," he suggested. Though after a few seconds, a hint of a blush tinged his cheeks, and he darted his eyes away nervously. "Also...um, you can take your hand off my chest now."

"Huh?" Kaede looked down and, much to her embarrassment, noticed that her hand was still on Shuichi's stomach. Her own cheeks flushed with pink, as she rapidly yanked her palm away from him. "S-Sorry about that!"

Shuichi accepted her apology easily enough, and after a moment she helped him to stand up. The awkward moment passed them by soon after, as Kaede found herself looking around again. This time however, she did notice something: a tripod-mounted camera not too far away, that was directly pointed at them.

She gave the device an odd look, getting Shuichi's attention as she gestured over to it. He followed her gaze, and wordlessly approached it, Kaede following behind them. Together they studied the camera, though Kaede herself wasn't even sure what she was looking for. She didn't see any power source or cables that the camera itself was plugged into, so there was no telling if it was even on.

Shuichi tried to take the camera itself off of the mount, but it wouldn't budge. He looked back over to Kaede, shrugging slightly. "I...don't think there are cameras on the beach like this, normally, but...other than that, I can't tell much of anything about it. Should we keep looking around?"

She nodded at that, and soon the two of them left the camera behind as they trudged further through the beach. It took a few minutes of walking, but after awhile her eyes did spot what looked like the 'end' of the beach, as the sand gave way to a dirt road up ahead.

Shuichi noticed it near the same time, and after a moment they started to approach it. Once they were on the road proper, they still didn't see anyone else, nor any signs of any cars, oddly enough. But they'd come across civilization sooner or later if they kept to the road, so Kaede found herself walking alongside Shuichi.

After five minutes of walking, the dirt road led away to a proper concrete road, which itself led to another destination. A hotel slowly but surely showed up in the distance, which made the two of them all the more eager to get to it. Though as they got closer, Kaede could also make out the figure of another boy standing at the gates to the hotel itself.

His back was turned to them, revealing a large black jacket that seemed to cover up most of his body, at least on the backside. The jacket itself had a large puffed up collar, and some sort of symbol was stitched into the upper back of the cloth, though Kaede didn't recognize it at all.

Hearing their footsteps, the mysterious stranger turned around to face them, revealing his front. Underneath the jacket he wore a white shirt underneath and a pair of black, baggy pants and a pair of simple shoes. Though what drew Kaede's attention the most was the frankly ridiculous pompadour that the stranger had styled his hair into: it extended several inches from his forehead, ending in a pointed tip. He also seemed to have dyed his hair red, from what Kaede could discern.

Despite how inappropriate it would be, Kaede felt her face waver as a giggle threatened to surface. Thankfully, though, she managed to suppress the urge. Even if he had a weird hairdo, she couldn't laugh at him! Making a bad first impression would be a terrible mistake, especially if he knew what was going on!

The stranger didn't seem so concerned about first impressions himself, however, as his face immediately contorted in rage. Baring his teeth into a large scowl, he charged over to them and immediately grabbed Shuichi, lifting him up by the scruff of his shirt!

"You've got some fuckin' nerve, asshole! You have ten seconds to tell me where the _fuck _you've taken me, before I beat the crap outta ya!" he thundered, spittle flying directly into Shuichi's terrified face.

He squirmed in the stranger's grasp, trying to stutter out some sort of reply to him. Kaede, meanwhile, took an uncertain step back...before moving at the stranger's side, grabbing at his arm in an attempt to make him let go of Shuichi!

"Hey! Let him go!" she demanded, shaking his arm to the best of her ability. "He's got nothing to do with this! Neither do I! We have no idea how we got here!"

All at once, the stranger froze up, glancing over at Kaede for the first time, as if just now noticing her. He blinked in rapid succession, a touch of regret flickering across his face as he suddenly let go of Shuichi, leaving him to stumble back in surprise.

"R-Really? You're in the same boat as me, huh?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head as he averted his eyes from her. "Uh, sorry about that. Didn't, uh, mean to scare you or nothin'."

"N-No problem?" Shuichi stuttered out, his voice cracking slightly as he recovered from the fright he had received. The stranger gave a quick nod at that.

After a moment of awkward silence, Kaede decided to speak up, taking the initiative to introduce herself and Shuichi. He eyed them both, his gaze seeming to linger on Shuichi for some reason, before he introduced himself in turn.

"Name's Mondo Owada: I'm the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader. Nice to meet'cha." he stiffly replied.

Kaede couldn't help but take a step back at that, a feeling of unease creeping over her. It was rude, she knew, but she couldn't help but react that way. He was basically admitting to being a delinquent and criminal, after all! Though to be fair, his actions had certainly given him away as one.

"So uh, Mondo, you don't know why we're here either?" Shuichi spoke up, having now recovered from the earlier misunderstanding. He'd once more adopted a speculative look, as he rubbed his chin in thought.

"Yep. Damnedest thing: I woke up on the side of the road, with no idea how I'd got there. I just started walking until I found this hotel...and, well, then I met you two," Mondo confirmed. "Last thing I remember, I was about to start my first day at Hope's Peak Academy. Then...I woke up here. I've got no fuckin' clue what happened to me."

"Ah, I see. We're the same. Well, mostly." Shuichi admitted, glancing at Kaede briefly before turning his attention back to Mondo.

He fell silent after that, still mulling things over it seemed. Well, he _was_ the Ultimate Detective; perhaps that wasn't such a surprise. Seeing he wasn't about to speak up though, she did instead. "Well...since we're all here, perhaps we should explore the hotel together? Maybe we can find some answers, or find more people!"

Both Shuichi and Mondo seemed to agree with that idea, and soon enough the three of them stepped onto the hotel grounds.

The first thing that caught Kaede's attention was the layout of the place. Entering through the gates, she saw a large walkway leading up to the hotel itself, and just outside the entrance that walkway branched out into two different pathways, each containing two rows of cottages.

Up near the hotel itself, the pathway ended at a large pool that took up the center of the area. A variety of poolside chairs and tables were scattered at the edges of the pool, while an older wooden building caught her eye at the left-most side of the area. Then, of course, at the very back was (presumably) the hotel building proper. It was a modest looking building, seemingly four stories tall by her estimation. And at the side of it rested a staircase that seemed to lead to another part of the building.

"What the fuck?" Mondo spoke up, breaking Kaede out of her observations. He had walked over to the left row of cottages, and stood in front of a cottage nearest to the walkway. He was bent over slightly, peering at a mailbox planted in front of the cottage itself.

"This mailbox has my fucking face on it! What the fuck?!" Mondo swore again, his face reddening while he clenched and unclenched his fist.

Kaede peered over his shoulder, and sure enough, she saw a cartoonish version of Mondo's face plastered over the front of the mailbox. She took a look at some of the other nearby mailboxes, and noted that different, but equally cartoonish, faces were painted over the fronts. What did that mean? Was it some sort of indication on whose cottage it was, perhaps?

"Not just you. I can see my own face on a mailbox down the row." Shuichi observed, glancing at another cottage. Then, after a moment, he echoed Kaede's own thoughts. "Maybe they're supposed to be a sign of who owns or lives in that particular cottage?"

Mondo didn't have an answer for that, instead choosing to mutter harshly under his breath. Before they could investigate the cottages further, however, Kaede heard the distant splashing of water. Was someone in the pool?

She called the issue to their attention, and together they traveled down the walkway to the pool itself. Sure enough, they could see someone swimming in the pool, their shape and figure somewhat obscured as they darted through the confines of the pool. Then, just as Kaede wondered if perhaps they should call out for their attention, the figure paused and broke the surface.

"Ah, that's the stuff! Man, been awhile since I got to swim in a nice pool. This feels great!" the newest stranger declared, her voice somewhat deep but carrying an unmistakably feminine tone.

Only her head was breaching the water right now, but it was enough to tell Kaede that this person was definitely a girl. Her skin was noticeably dark, the result of spending too much time in the sun no doubt. Her eyes were a dark gray color, while her hair was a vibrant brown, and seemed to trail down her back, though how far was difficult to tell with most of it submerged under water.

"Huh?" the stranger blinked as she suddenly noticed them, looking the trio over. After a moment, her face broke out into a curious look. "Oh, hey, new people."

"Uh, hi there. I'm Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist," Kaede greeted, introducing Mondo and Shuichi in turn. "So, who are you? I don't suppose you know why we're here?"

"Nah, don't know a thing. I have no idea how I got here! I mean, last I remember, I was going for my first day at Hope's Peak," she freely admitted. "Oh, and the name's Akane Owari! I'm the Ultimate Gymnast. Nice meeting ya, Karen!"

"...It's Kaede," she replied, her eyebrow twitching the slightest bit. So, there was another Ultimate here who had no idea what was going on. A pattern seemed to be developing here. Though what it meant, Kaede wasn't so sure.

Akane shrugged, murmuring something about that being what she said. At the same time, she stretched inside the pool, bringing out her arms, thrusting her chest out as a result...which revealed her incredibly naked breasts to the trio.

It took a few seconds for Kaede to properly register it, but indeed, Akane's bare, naked breasts were suddenly out in the open. For the briefest moment, she found herself mesmerized by the sight, particularly with how large they were. But that fascination soon gave way to embarrassment and mortification, as a shocked gasp escaped her lips. Given the startled yelps Mondo and Shuichi gave out in turn, it seemed they noticed it too.

Kaede took an instinctive step back, her face rapidly flushing crimson while her ahoge seemed to develop a mind of its own as it flared straight up. After that, she rapidly moved her hands and covered up both Mondo and Shuichi's eyes in some vain, foolish attempt at protecting Akane's modesty.

"W-W-Wh-Why are you topless in the pool?!" Kaede demanded, an uncharacteristic stutter preceding her words.

"Huh? Oh, I'm not topless. I'm completely naked under here," Akane corrected, acting as if that was the most normal thing in the world.

After a belated pause, Kaede felt the twitch return to her eyebrow, while she heard Mondo and Shuichi gawk and gasp further beside her.

"...Okay. Why are you _naked _in the pool then?" she ground out, desperately hoping she'd have some sensible answer for her. After all, why on earth would a girl just go naked in a public pool?! Especially when there was the chance that boys might stumble upon her?!

"...Because I didn't want to get my clothes wet?" Akane retorted, speaking slowly and carefully, as if talking to a child.

The twitch started to increase in frequency, while Kaede felt her face redden even further somehow. At the same time, her eyes couldn't help but stray to the set of boobs that were now resting gently against the top of the water. But just as quickly, she tore her gaze away so she could look back at Akane's nonchalant face.

"...And why didn't you put a swimsuit on, then?" she questioned, her brow still twitching faintly. "Or swim in your underwear?"

"Wet underwear is gross and I didn't have a swimsuit to use. So I just went in naked. It's not that big a deal, really," Akane replied, now sounding faintly annoyed at this continued line of questioning.

Kaede couldn't suppress the sigh that heaved from her mouth, and she brought a hand to her face, pinching the bridge of her nose. It took her a few seconds to realize her mistake though, her error allowing Shuichi to stare once more at Akane's naked breasts. His face was just as flushed as Kaede's, and much like her, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight.

She gave a groan at that, and immediately slapped her hand across his eyes again, blocking his view. Though Shuichi still seemed too stunned to object to her actions.

"...Look, can you, can you just please go dry off and put some clothes on? Please?" she openly pleaded.

Akane rolled her eyes but otherwise didn't comment, instead swimming over to the pool ladder on the other side. She climbed out moments later, revealing that she was, indeed, completely naked. And while her view of her breasts was now gone, Kaede found herself equally enchanted by Akane's swaying hips and her large, round...head. Yes, her head, and nothing else.

"You know, if you keep staring like that, you'll turn into a dirty old man," Akane suddenly declared in a teasing tone, turning her head to stare back at Kaede.

She gave an indignant squeak at that, tearing her palms away from Mondo and Shuichi as she balled her hands into fists. But that only allowed Mondo and Shuichi to share the view with her now.

Akane grinned at her in response, and turned to start walking away. She turned the corner of the pool, revealing her front with no hint of shame whatsoever, displaying her body to the trio. Kaede, and the boys beside her, could only stare and gawk as Akane strode away, walking right next to Shuichi before moving behind them, and making her way back to the cottage area.

A lingering, tension-filled silence was left in the wake of Akane's departure, the three of them still glancing back at where she had been. Then, quite abruptly, Mondo's words pierced through the quiet.

"So, uh, I-I think I'm gonna go explore on my own. Starting with my...cottage, I guess. May as well check it out, right?" Mondo declared, pointedly turning his crimson face away from the two of them. With that said, he practically bolted, making a beeline toward what they presumed was his cottage.

That just left the two of them, then. Ever so slowly, Kaede turned her head to face Shuichi, her eyes fixed on him with a cutting stare.

"And do you need to go investigate your cottage too, Shuichi?" she inquired, her voice flat and monotone.

"Ah! No! Not at all! I-I'm just fine, thanks!" Shuichi denied, his lips issuing a nervous chuckle. He looked everywhere but at her, while he pulled his hat down lower on his head. "Ah, I th-think we should continue investigating the hotel itself?"

Kaede stared long and hard at him, before slowly nodding her head in agreement. Without another spoken word, she walked around the edge of the pool and toward the hotel proper, Shuichi following her in her wake.

Testing the entrance doors, they opened up just fine, revealing a wider lobby inside. A number of comfortable looking chairs took up one portion of the room, alongside a small desk—presumably for the concierge, or other hotel managers. On the other side of the room meanwhile, there rested—of all things—several arcade machines, each hosting a different game. And to the back of the lobby there was more. Against the back wall there was an elevator door, and perpendicular to the elevator was a closed door: presumably the stairs that led to the upper floors. And opposite the closed door there was an open staircase, leading up to the second story. Of course, what really caught Kaede's attention was the figure that had settled in among the chairs in the lobby.

It was a girl that Kaede saw, with long, knee-length cerulean hair and teal eyes. She wore a pair of rimless glasses, and had on a school uniform of some sort, with a white blouse, a knee-length pleated skirt, black knee-high socks, grey shoes, and a dark-colored blazer. She had settled herself in one of the seats of the lobby, and was seemingly lost in thought as she stared off at nothing in particular.

"Hey there! I don't suppose you know what's going on, huh?" Kaede inquired, glancing over at the other girl curiously. She didn't respond at all, however, or even acknowledged them at all as she stared off.

Kaede stared quizzically at her, pausing a moment before she leaned over, waving a hand in front of the girl's face. "Um, hello? Can you hear me?"

And for a second time, she continued to ignore them. For whatever reason, she remained silent as she sat on the chair, staring in apparent concentration away from them.

"Eh? She still can't hear me? Maybe she's really a detailed mannequin?" Kaede wondered aloud to herself as she took a step back, staring at the unresponsive girl with slight worry.

"I don't...think that's the case," Shuichi spoke up besides her, looking a little nervous himself. "Maybe we should just leave her alone?"

"Hey, don't be so quick to judge, Shuichi! I mean, you never know. At this rate, anything could be possible." Kaede replied, even as she reached over to poke the girl's cheek. She felt the skin squish beneath her fingertip. Even then, the girl didn't give much of a reaction.

"Huh, that didn't work either?" she murmured to herself, furrowing her brow in thought. "Then maybe she _is _just a doll...but, she looks so real! Hey, Shuichi! Why don't you try it too?"

"Huh?" Shuichi looked over at her in surprise, not expecting to hear such an offer. A blush rapidly spread across his cheeks, and he quickly shook his head. "Ah, n-no, I don't think that's a good idea..."

Kaede, however, was having none of that. She reached over to grab Shuichi's hand, dragging it forward to make him poke the unresponsive girl. "Ah, come on Shuichi! It's so fun! Besides, if that doesn't work, then maybe we can try flipping her skirt, and see how life-like this doll is!"

"I never thought I'd be poked from both sides. How truly unexpected," the girl finally commented, just as Kaede made Shuichi press his finger against her cheek. "Also, I'd prefer it if you didn't flip my skirt. I mean, there is a boy in the room and all."

"Ha! So she wasn't a mannequin!" Kaede confirmed, nodding her head decisively. "Well, I already knew that. I just figured poking you would get you to respond eventually!"

Shuichi, meanwhile, just gave Kaede an odd look as he snatched his hand back. But then, his brain caught up with the rest of what Tsumugi said. Despite himself, he couldn't help but ask, "Wait...you'd be okay if it was just Kaede who saw your...?"

"Panties? Yes. I mean, we are both girls, so it wouldn't really be a big deal," the girl confirmed, nodding her head. "Also...I figured if I ignored you two, you'd both go elsewhere. But, well, it seems that didn't work out at all."

"Well, that's rude," Kaede commented, crossing her arms.

"Well, isn't it rude to force someone to talk when they don't want to?" she countered, raising an eyebrow. But after a moment, she shrugged. "Oh, but it's okay now. I feel like talking. So! What do you want to start with? Oh, how about our favorite animes? My favorite has to be Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood! What's yours?!"

A great deal of enthusiasm and energy seemed to take hold of the girl all of a sudden, as she suddenly shot to her feet! She stood almost directly in front of Kaede now, an eager smile on her face, while her eyes seemed to sparkle.

Kaede took a reflexive step back, surprised to see the girl get so animated all of a sudden. "Um, before we talk about that, can you tell us your name first?"

"Oh, my name is Tsumugi Shirogane. I'm the Ultimate Cosplayer," she replied, a more subdued, natural smile taking shape on her face, as she put a hand on her hip. After a moment though, a more sheepish expression appeared on her face, and she moved her hand to cup the side of her face. "Are you surprised? I get that a lot, since I'm so plain."

"No, no. I mean, it sorta makes sense. You have this strange, almost sexy aura about you!" Kaede declared in reply, smiling brightly at Tsumugi. "I bet it's because you've got people ogling all your curves on a daily basis, huh?"

Shuichi could only give an uncomfortable little cough at her words, eyeing Kaede uncertainty as she spoke. "Kaede...um, y-you're starting to sound like a creepy old man..."

In most other circumstances, Kaede would have rolled along with Shuichi's words. After all, he did have a point. But, well...that only just brought back up uncomfortable memories of Akane, which in turn caused her to glare at him; to which Shuichi could only raise his hands in a sheepish apology.

"Normally, I don't really like people looking at me like that..." Tsumugi said, seeming to ignore their own little exchange. "I just like making cosplay. I'm fine with others wearing them. But lately, cosplayers are putting themselves before the characters. I'd rather wear my outfits myself in that case, and do it with love! I—!"

"Ah, sorry to interrupt, but...do you know what's going on? Do you know where we are?" Shuichi abruptly asked, his face shifting to a more serious tone. "As far as we can tell, there seem to be a lot of Ultimates that...just woke up here, with no memory of how they got here, or where we are."

Tsumugi blinked at the sudden question. Her happy mood from before seemed to vanish, as beads of sweat started appearing on her face. She grabbed her arm and pursed her lips for a moment, looking decidedly uncomfortable with the sudden change in topic. "That's...well, that's a very good question. I honestly don't know myself. I've been trying not to...think about it too much. It's, well, pretty scary. I don't know much myself, really. I just...woke up here in this lobby, and I've been in here since. I've been a bit...too afraid to go outside, I suppose."

"Ah, I can understand that. This is a pretty nerve-wracking situation, isn't it?" Kaede agreed, giving a soft sigh. "Oh, wait, we haven't introduced ourselves, have we? I'm Kaede Akamatsu, and this is Shuichi Saihara. We're the Ultimate Pianist and Ultimate Detective, respectively."

"Well, it's nice to meet you both. So, we have an Ultimate Detective here? I gotta admit, it's a bit reassuring knowing that," Tsumugi said, directing a smile toward Shuichi.

The boy in question blushed a little, but before he could stutter out a reply, Kaede leaned over and draped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him abruptly close to her. "It sure is! I'm sure Shuichi here will figure things out in no time!"

Shuichi blushed and fidgeted, clearly not expecting such intimate contact. "Ah, y-you're giving me too much credit, r-really..."

Before either Kaede or Tsumugi could respond to that, however, a loud 'thump' upstairs caught their attention. They all froze, and Kaede craned her head upwards, as if to try and see through the ceiling above them. A few seconds later, the sound of more loud noises met their ears, as some sort of ruckus seemed to unfold on the floor above them.

"Whatever that is, it doesn't sound good," Shuichi noted, a touch of concern in his tone. "We should find out what's going on, right away!"

Kaede couldn't agree more with that, as she drew herself away from Shuichi. Shortly thereafter, the three of them raced toward the staircase leading up to the second floor.

However, they were all thoroughly unprepared for the sight that met them: streaks of pink covered the floor, chairs and tables were overturned, and in the center of the room, laid the prone body of a short man in a chef's outfit.


	2. Prologue 0-2

**9:02 AM, Day 1**

**Near Main Building, Hotel Mirai**

"Tell me to go put on some clothes...who does she think she is?" Akane murmured to herself, rolling her eyes as a scowl tugged at her lips. "Fucking prude."

Honestly, she didn't see why that Kaede girl had made such a big deal of all of this. Hell, she'd been so focused on her boobs that she'd barely asked her anything about all this. She assumed that Kaede and her boy-toys were just as lost as she was, looking to figure out where they were. But after her tits were exposed, any more questions were just thrown out the window.

Man, the people in Japan could be such fucking prudes sometimes. Not at all like the people she knew back in Roanapur.

Of course, she didn't know much herself, to be fair. Akane had no idea how she'd ended up here. But, well, she wasn't too bothered. She'd woken up with her clothes on in one of those funny cabins, and her body hadn't been tied up or abused or anything. That definitely meant she wasn't back in Roanapur, which was all the reassurance she needed. Wherever she was now, it was definitely better than her home city.

At any rate, Akane walked back over to the hotel, now wearing clothes. She looked around briefly, noticing that Kaede and the other two were gone. For that, she was quite thankful. The question was now, though, was: what should she do next?

She mulled over her options, wondering if she should maybe explore outside the hotel grounds...when the wafting scent of food caught her nose. She sniffed at the air, her keen sense of smell able to track the scent to its source. Someone up in the second story of the hotel was cooking food.

"Well, that settles that then!" Akane declared, making her way over to the set of outside stairs. She climbed up them, and from there stepped inside.

What greeted Akane was an opulent looking dining room, filled to the brim with tables, chairs, and all sorts of other equipment one would need for a restaurant. Along the left wall sat an open door, which seemed to lead into a well stocked kitchen. However, the sight of two other people in the restaurant, one of them apparently serving food to the other, also caught her attention.

One of them was a short and overweight guy with darkly tanned skin, similar to her own. He wore a chef's outfit, with a red apron tied around his waist, and a red scarf around his neck. Most notably, his dark- brown hair was styled into a frankly ridiculous looking, left-leaning pompadour, too. Though to be fair, it wasn't nearly as ridiculous as that Mondo guy's was.

The other was a boy with cream-colored hair and almost sickly pale skin. He was dressed in a dark-green hoodie that frayed at the edges, and beneath that wore a white t-shirt with some sort of red design on it, and black jeans. He sat at one of the tables, his hands shoved into his hoodie pockets while the short chef served him food.

"I have one question: got any more where that came from, chef?" Akane immediately required, fixating her stare on him in particular. Her lips quirked into a toothy grin, as she eyed the other boy's food with some envy. "'Cause I'm starving right now. I'd do anything for a fucking good meal!"

"Anything, you say?" he replied, eyeing her with keen interest. His gaze seemed to linger on her barely contained breasts, which...well, didn't surprise Akane. Her boobs were pretty big, and the white shirt she wore showed off a lot of cleavage.

"Well, we can talk about that later, _mon cheri_," the boy continued on, his voice surprisingly smooth and suave. "I most certainly can whip up some food for you! And I knew my cooking would attract more people here! Didn't I say so, Nagito?"

"You certainly did," the other boy, now identified as Nagito, confirmed. He brought out one hand to grab a fork, and start eating the food placed before him. "I expected nothing less from the Ultimate Chef!"

"Ultimate Chef, huh?" Akane regarded the still unnamed boy anew, her appraisal of him going up even more. "Color me impressed. If your food is half as good as your title implies, I might just have to snatch you up before someone else beats me to the punch."

"Oh ho! Well, don't make promises you can't keep, _mon cheri_," he said, smirking widely at her. A second later he brought out a comb and ran it through his hair, all the while his eyes studied her body. "Ah, and where are my manners? I am Teruteru Hanamura, the Ultimate Chef! Er, well, I suppose my official title is Ultimate Cook...but, I prefer Ultimate Chef, ya dig? Anyway, just give ole Teruteru a couple minutes, and I'm sure I can fix up something befitting a beauty such as yourself!"

That said, Teruteru gave her a little wink, and retreated back to the kitchen. That left her alone with just this Nagito guy, whom she regarded with a curious look.

"Please, you're welcome to have a seat if you want," he said, gesturing to the chair opposite him. "You're more than welcome to take my food too, if you also want! I'm really not all that hungry, and I'm sure a meal from the Ultimate Chef would be of more use to a fellow Ultimate such as yourself."

Akane raised an eyebrow at that, but shrugged a moment later, taking the chair across from Nagito. She grabbed a fork and knife, and reached over to carve out a portion of his meal for herself. "Eh, I'm not turning down free food. But you're welcome to share with me, Nagito. So, you know I'm an Ultimate, huh?"

"Of course! I did extensive research on all my future classmates after getting my acceptance letter from Hope's Peak," Nagito confirmed, a sort of sheepish smile on his face. "But, really, my talent pales in comparison to yours. I mean, you're Akane Owari, the Ultimate Gymnast! Meanwhile, I'm just the Ultimate Lucky Student. I mean, what sort of talent is that, really?"

Nagito chuckled a little as he put himself down, bringing out a hand to comb over his hair. Akane wasn't quite sure what to say in the face of such self-loathing, and ended up saying nothing at all when she noticed Nagito's other hand.

The gleam of metal caught her eye, and she fully observed his now visible left hand. She couldn't help but let out a little gasp, eyes widening as she took in the metal prosthetic where his left hand should be.

Nagito of course followed her gaze, his smile widening for some reason as she stared. He flexed his metal fingers in response, allowing her to gaze at his robotic hand for a moment longer before he spoke once more.

"I know, I know, what kind of Lucky Student has their hand amputated? It really is an unlucky tale...though I suppose it was rather lucky that I was given this prosthetic for free. In the end, I suppose it all balances out," he proclaimed.

After a moment Akane leaned back in her chair, giving a soft whistle as she observed the boy's artificial limb. "Hot damn! Gotta say, that makes me real curious. How'd you even lose your hand in the first place, huh?"

Nagito chuckled some more, opening his mouth to speak—

"I'm going to need your clothes, please."

Akane blinked, half-wondering if Teruteru had returned, before she realized that a different voice from his own, and Nagito's, had said that. She turned her gaze to the source of the voice, only just now noticing that a naked woman had crept up besides their table.

Wait, what?

Akane blinked again, before confirming that yes, there was in fact a naked woman right besides her. She had dark hair, and freckles that spread across her cheeks. And other areas of her body, it seemed, as Akane took in her full naked form. Her breasts were a respectable size, though smaller compared to her own, and she didn't seem to have a single hair on her entire body, outside of her head. In fact...she couldn't see much of anything, aside from smooth, milky-white skin. No bruises, no scars...aside from the freckles on her face and shoulders, and some sort of tattoo on the back of her hand, the girl's entire body was devoid of any blemishes.

For some reason, a foreboding sense of danger flared through Akane's body as she noticed that. Something about that this girl was just off to her, but she wasn't sure why.

Well, aside from her being naked and all.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" she finally asked, staring at the naked teen in a mixture of bafflement and caution. Idly, she wondered if this was what that Kaede girl had felt like when she'd talked with her earlier.

"Your clothes. I'm going to need them, please." the naked woman repeated, gesturing to her outfit. "You can hand them to me yourself, or I can take them from you. Your choice."

At that, Akane couldn't help but let out a snort. She smiled dismissively at the naked chick, rolling her eyes. Who did this girl think she was, the T-1000? "Heh, fat chance of that sweet cheeks. You'll have to pry my clothes from my cold, dead—!"

The stranger's fist flew by so fast, that Akane almost didn't see it coming. It was only thanks to years of training, and instincts carved out from living out on the streets of Roanapur, that let her catch the movement. As it was, Akane barely had time to rear back and raise a hand to block the strike: and the force of the blow nearly _shattered_ the bones in her hand, and caused her to fly backwards end over end, as she was sent tumbling to the floor.

"Son of a _bitch_!" she swore, wincing in pain as she shook her hand. Goddamn, she packed a punch! Where the hell had she learned to fight like that?!

Before she could dwell on the matter further, however, the mystery girl was upon her once more. Akane barely had time to scramble to her feet, just missing a kick aimed at her head. She immediately put some distance between her and her attacker, hoping to get some time to figure out her next move.

She was given hardly any time, however, as the mystery girl rushed at her like a freight train. Her body moved impossibly fast, and it took everything Akane had to avoid another punch. Fuck, this chick was fast! Faster than her, almost. She had to end this, quick, before the girl threw a punch she couldn't dodge or catch.

"Oh fuck you!" Akane roared, her teeth bared in an open-mouthed snarl. She rushed in close, swinging low to gut-punch her.

She dodged it, as she thought she would, which just left her open to the kick she was now aiming at her! To Akane's satisfaction, her blow made contact, and she swept her opponent off her feet! The naked girl barely had time for an exclamation of surprise, before she tumbled to the ground, landing spread-eagled on the floor.

"Now what in sam hell is goin' on here?!" Teruteru's voice thundered, as the kitchen door flew open. He strode into the room, a frying pan in hand as he gestured over to Akane. "Who's picking a fight in my—?!"

He cut himself short, however, upon seeing the girl on the floor, her body just happening to be positioned right in front of the kitchen door. He froze, doing a double-take as he stared at the naked girl before him. Then, without warning, a stream of blood shot forth from his nose, splattering against himself, the furniture, and the walls. After that, Teruteru collapsed to the floor, a happy smile on his face as he seemed to faint.

Akane wrinkled her nose as a bit of Teruteru's nosebleed got on her skirt. She quickly tried to wipe it off, before she suddenly froze, realizing her mistake. By the time she got her eyes back on her attacker, she was already in the air, launching a flying kick straight at her head that Akane couldn't avoid. The force of the hit slammed her into the wall, and seconds after impact, she blacked out.

Rather abruptly, Akane found herself stirring back into consciousness. She bolted upright, a sharp hiss escaping her lips as she felt her head throb in pain. She clutched the side of her head, groaning as another jab of pain flashed through her skull. At the same time, she could feel a trickle of blood trail down the side of her head.

Ugh, she was going to _kill_ that bitch!

"Akane? You're here too?" she heard a nearby voice question.

Akane paused, feeling the ache in her head subside a little as she tried to take in her surroundings. The place looked trashed, which wasn't surprising, given the fight she'd just had. She couldn't see Nagito anywhere, but Teruteru seemed conscious now, being tended to by that emo looking boy and a new blue haired chick. And Kaede was making her way over to her, having just now seen her among the upturned tables.

"Are you all right? Do you need—oh my god, why are you _still _naked?!" Kaede suddenly yelped, her face flushing crimson as she stared over at her.

Akane blinked, and looked down at herself. Sure enough, she was naked. Her clothes were completely gone, leaving her body completely nude.

"...That fuckin' _bitch_! She actually stole my clothes!" Akane thundered, a darkened scowl flashing across her face. She felt her blood start to boil, and an uncontrollable sense of rage swelled within her.

"Oh, she is so _dead_!" she declared, before jumping to her feet.

She heard Kaede speak behind her, but Akane was too focused on her unyielding rage to listen. Instead, she raced out of the restaurant and leapt over the outside staircase, landing on her feet effortlessly.

From there, she sped through the grounds of the hotel, intently looking for any sign of that black haired bitch. And when she couldn't find any signs of her at the hotel, Akane opened up the gates to take a look outside. She _did_ spot someone, but they weren't who she was looking for. Stood before Akane, about to open the gate themselves, were two other people.

One was a tall boy with green eyes and green hair...and quite frankly, he had a whole pretty boy look going on. He wore a dark-blue striped sweater, with baggy, light-brown pants and slip-on shoes. His sweater also had some sort of symbol on it, but Akane didn't recognize it. On his wrists he wore one silver bracelet on his right arm, and a larger bracelet on his left that seemed to wrap around his forearm several times. He also had on several different rings, and his ears had multiple piercings in them. And over his sweater, he had a necklace with a crystal pendulum that shook as he walked along.

Besides him was a short young girl with light brown hair with hazel eyes. She wore what looked like a winter school uniform, composed of a long-sleeved dark green jacket, a white undershirt, a mid-thigh brown skirt, black knee-high socks, and light brown shoes. Whoever she was, Akane also had to admit that she was pretty cute: she just _screamed _'innocent little maiden', and that was exactly the kind of girl Akane loved to corrupt.

However, of the two, the green haired boy caught her attention most: and that was because Akane knew him.

"Rantaro Amami. Tch, never thought I'd see you again," Akane declared, crossing her arms as she eyed the boy.

"Akane Owari. My, I never thought I'd run into you here. It's been a long time since Roanapur, hasn't it?" he replied evenly, staring at her in turn.

"Wh-why aren't you wearing any clothes?!" the girl beside him shrieked, covering up her eyes in embarrassment as her face turned an interesting shade of red.

Akane blinked, before staring down at her body. "Oh, yeah. Gotta fix that."

* * *

**9:17 AM, Day 1**

**Front Gate, Hotel Mirai**

One quick trip back to her cabin and Akane was dressed again. Being clothed again didn't dissuade her _unyielding_ _rage_ toward the bitch who had stolen her clothes, but she'd have to deal with that later. She'd track her down, for sure, because she was not gonna get away with that shit.

Right now, however, Akane had other things to worry about. Like how to deal with the ghost of her past that she was pretty sure was supposed to be _dead_.

"All right, fine, now I'm dressed," Akane announced, scowling a little as she returned to where she'd left Rantaro and his companion. "Now are you gonna tell me how the hell you're here right now? Last I recall, you were cornered by Hotel Moscow! There's no fucking way you could have escaped that alive!"

In reply, Rantaro just shrugged at her, infuriatingly calm and composed. "Well, they don't call me the Ultimate Survivor for nothing. Besides, I managed to talk my way into Balalaika's good graces, even helped her weed out a traitor in her midst. After that, I was able to score a free ticket out of Roanapur. I see you managed to get out, too. Did your brothers and sisters get out with you?"

"That's none of your fucking business, got it?" Akane growled out, scowling fiercely at him as she crossed her arms.

"Um, I take it you two...know each other?" the small girl at Rantaro's side chimed in.

Akane blinked, glancing over at her again. Huh, she'd forgotten the shrimp was even there. Seeing her reminded Akane of her current circumstances though, and how she ought to be focusing on more important things, like tracking down that clothes-stealing bitch. Oh, and finding out why she was here, too. Though that wasn't as important to her, at the moment.

"You could say that. Akane and I met a few years back when she still lived in Roanapur," Rantaro confirmed, gesturing over to her. "Chihiro, let me introduce Akane Owari, apparently an Ultimate herself, if I had to guess. Akane, this is Chihiro Fujisaki, the Ultimate Programmer."

"R-Right. It's nice to meet you, Akane," Chihiro stuttered out, blushing a little as she nodded at her.

Despite her...mixed feelings about Rantaro and her current situation, Akane couldn't help but develop a slight smirk. Chihiro was getting more and more tempting the more she heard about the girl. So sweet and demure...it really made her wanna know what her voice would sound like while she was having her way with her.

"Nice meetin' ya," Akane replied at length, giving Chihiro a slight wave. "Anyway, it's been...nice seeing you again Rantaro, but I really, really gotta go. I gotta go find the bitch who stole my clothes and get some nice, sweet revenge. See ya."

That said, Akane moved to slip by them and out of the hotel complex. Rantaro stopped her short though, holding an arm out to block her path.

"Before you go, you should know we're trying to gather everyone over to the central island. There's a ferry not far from here, so you should head that way when you're ready to meet everyone else. Hell, who knows, maybe the girl you're searching for is already headed that way," he dutifully informed her.

Akane cocked her head at that, nodding after a moment. "Yeah, all right, I'll keep that in mind. Now will you let me out, or will I have to break your arm?"

He moved the offending limb out of her way, and Akane slid past him and through the gate, exiting the complex. She—

Wait, central island? What? Did that mean they were on an island?! The fuck?!

…

Fuck it, she had more important things to worry about. She could deal with the implications of that later.

That thought in mind, Akane strode away from the hotel, breaking out into a sprint as she raced away from it. That bitch had a pretty big lead on her, but that wasn't gonna stop her from tracking her down, beating the shit out of her, and taking her goddamn clothes back.

No one messed with Akane Owari, and got away with it!

After a good deal of running, an airport gradually came into sight. Akane slowed down, heading towards it until she burst through the doors of the main lobby area. Alas, there was no one in sight when she looked around. Well, not strictly no one. Looking down, she noticed the unconscious form of a large, morbidly obese man who wore a school uniform of some sort. She immediately dismissed him from her mind, though, since he wasn't what she was looking for.

She looked outside for a brief minute, though there was nothing to see really. There was only one plane on the tarmac, and checking through the windows of the plane showed that her target wasn't inside. Disappointed, she made her way back into the lobby, which was just when the fat man started to wake up.

"Ooh, my head..." he groaned, slowly sitting up. He rubbed at his head, his stubby fingers brushing against the absurd point his hair converged to at the top. "What happened...?"

"Beats me," Akane replied, shrugging. "Hey, you see a dark haired chick run by here? Muscular build, freckles, wearing the same clothes as me?"

The unknown teenager blinked at her word, scratching the side of his head as his eyes scrunched up in concentration. "I don't...think so?"

Well, he was utterly useless.

Akane left him on his own after that, not bothering to stick around and question him further. She made her way out of the airport, and ran back down to the road, following the path once more.

It took another few minutes of travel, but another building popped up in the distance: some sort of store labeled 'Rocketpunch Market', according to the sign. She made her way over there, and thoroughly checked inside, but once more she came up empty. No one was around, which pissed her off to no end.

It wasn't a wasted search, though. The market just so happened to have her favorite snacks in stock, so Akane didn't waste any time snatching them up and scarfing them down. The food helped to mollify her raging emotions and made her feel better, so that was good if nothing else.

After that, she left the store and continued her search for the third time. This time, her quest for vengeance brought her to a farm, of all places.

The farm itself consisted of five main structures: a barn, a chicken coop, a silo, a windmill, and a regular looking house, presumably for the farmers themselves. The farmland itself seemed to be divided between two main areas: a grazing field for the animals to enjoy—and Akane could count at least two types of animals that were out there already, cows and chickens—and a planting field were a steady stock of crops were already growing.

She took a moment to admire it all, taking in the view, before she got to work. A cursory search of the farmland showed there weren't any humans out there. The barn turned up nothing either. That just left the house, which she soon entered—

—And smacked right into something. She gave a yelp, flailing backward. Akane managed to keep her balance, thankfully, but the person she had collided with wasn't so lucky.

A girl with long, choppy purple hair landed sharply on the floor, mewling out in a mixture of pain and embarrassment. She seemed to be dressed in a nurse's outfit, which consisted of a pink short-sleeved shirt, white apron with some red lettering on it, and a short blue pleated skirt beneath that apron. Though the thing about her that really caught Akane's attention was the fact that she had landed spreadeagled on the floor, flashing her panties for anyone to see.

Akane wasn't gonna lie—she spent a good few seconds checking out those exposed panties.

After that, though she turned her attention to the mystery girl. Though before she could question her, or help her up, the girl spoke first.

"Wah! I-I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to bump into you! Ooh, that was so stupid of me! I'm sorry!" the fallen girl tearfully apologized, flailing somewhat on the floor. And still flashing her panties at her.

Akane stared down at her for a moment, baffled by her, before she reached down to help the apologetic girl up. Once she was on her own two feet, she spoke quickly to the teary-eyed woman.

"Hey now, don't cry. It's all gonna be okay," she proclaimed, falling back a bit on her past experience. She'd comforted her siblings quite a lot over the years, and in an odd way, this girl reminded her a lot of them. "What's your name? I'm Akane Owari, the Ultimate Gymnast."

She paused in her sniffling at that, wiped away at her tears with her hands. One of which, Akane noted, seemed to be bandaged all the way up to her elbow. "Oh, um, I-I'm Mikan Tsumiki, the Ultimate Nurse. Um, I-I really hope we can get along! Oh, and, um, i-if you don't mind me asking...d-do you know why I'm here?"

Well, seemed she was just as in the dark as everyone else Akane had met so far. Before she could say anything though, another voice chimed in.

"Yo, Mikan! Your dumb ass find someone else?" came the sudden loud, brash voice from behind the girl in question.

Akane peered past her, to see a girl with blonde hair and goggles plastered on top of her head marching toward them. She was wearing a modified, pink sailor uniform with black heeled boots. She also wore a black choker, a pair of black studded, fingerless gloves, and for some reason had black straps with gold rings that were attached to her socks and, presumably, to her underwear beneath her uniform. And most striking of all was how exposed her collar was, leaving a lot of cleavage exposed.

Once again, Akane couldn't help but stare at that. Damn it all, she was pretty sure the blonde had bigger tits than her too!

"...Hey. I'm Akane. I don't suppose either of you—!" she started to say, but was cut off.

"Yeah yeah, like I give two fucks about who you are," the mystery girl rudely interrupted, crossing her arms as a haughty smirk stretched across her lips. "Besides, I heard it all already. You're the Ultimate Cheerleader or some shit, yeah?"

Akane felt her eye twitch ever so slightly. At the same time, the urge to deck this chick, instead of fucking her, started to rise within her.

"Anyway, doesn't matter. What's more important is who I am!" she went on, pointing at herself proudly. "I am the gorgeous young hottie, Miu Iruma! You're welcome to stare as long as you want! Maybe if you beg, I'll even let you take a quick peek at the goods! Ahaha!"

She tilted her head back and crowed at that, a wide grin on her face as she laughed. Akane, for her part, merely stared at Miu with a blank face. The more this blonde bitch spoke, the less she was liking her. Sure, she was hot, but her attitude was really rubbing her the wrong way.

"And what's your talent, huh? I didn't hear you mention that," Akane challenged, crossing her arms beneath her breasts.

Miu cut her laugh short at those words and reeled back a little. She grimaced, bringing a hand to her head as she massaged her temples. She didn't say anything for a good moment, but after some awkward silence finally ground out an answer.

"...I don't 'member, okay?! Ugh, my head is killing me. I musta hit it hard or some shit. B-But, I'm sure I'll remember if I think hard enough about it!" she exclaimed, once more returning to her prideful stance as she grinned.

"B-But, like I've b-been saying, if you're suffering from amnesia, it could be a s-symptom of a wider issue!" Mikan interjected, wringing her hands with worry as she examined Miu. "Th-That's why we should try and find a hospital, so we can get you—!"

"Fuck that! I don't need no stinkin' hospital! And fuck you for even saying I do!" Miu rejected that notion harshly, scowling at Mikan as she flipped her off.

Mikan shrunk back at her aggression and scrambled to issue another series of apologies, bowing and scraping all the while. Akane, however, wasn't going to let it stand.

"Oh I have had it up to here with you, ya blonde bitch! Talk to Mikan, or me, like that again, and I will shove my foot up your two-dollar ass!" she threatened, eyes narrowing at Miu as she glared at her.

Quite unexpectedly, Miu jerked back and seemed to shrink in on herself all at once. And as she spoke, her words seemed a lot more timid and uncertain than they were before. "H-Hey! What's the big idea? Wh-why are you yellin' at me...?"

….What the fuck?

Akane stared at Miu, perplexed by her sudden shift in attitude. Her mouth hung open as she tried to think of a way to respond to that abrupt shift in tone, though words were failing her at the moment.

What, was she just all bark and no bite? If that was the case, then she was more pitiable than someone worth her ire.

After a pregnant pause, she decided to move past the issue, focusing her attention back on Mikan.

"So, like I was saying, have either of you seen a black-haired bitch running around? She'd be wearing the same clothes as me," she said.

"H-Hey! Don't ignore me like that!" Miu, her face more flustered and pink now, demanded as she waved her arms.

"N-No, sorry. B-Before you came, Miu was the only other person I'd seen. I woke up in here a little while ago, but, um, I haven't really seen anyone besides Miu," Mikan confessed, still wringing her hands as her body trembled a little.

Meanwhile, Miu squealed behind her and trembled as well, though her own shaking seemed to have it's own, more unique cause. Akane spared her a glance, her bafflement only increasing. Good God, she wasn't just a coward with no backbone, but a masochist too? Jeez, what was up with that chick?

At any rate, she was wasting her time here. Her assailant definitely wasn't here, so she'd best continue her search elsewhere.

"Um, b-by the way..." Mikan spoke up all of a sudden, drawing her attention. "I-I was wondering. Are you...and M-Miu related? I-I mean, y-you both sound a lot alike, a-and I was just wondering..."

"We do?" she and Miu said in unison. Akane paused, taking stock of her one more time, as Miu did much the same. Then they both shook their heads.

"Nah, I don't hear it at all."

"Of fucking course, I'm not related to that walking silicon implant! Are you that much of an idiot, Mikan?!"

The resulting smack Akane gave Miu over the back of her head was rather satisfying, she had to admit. Miu just whimpered and crouched down, clutching her head, but she chose to ignore her after that.

With that settled, Akane turned to head away, though she briefly mentioned meeting Rantaro and how others were meeting up on the central island, for whatever good that knowledge might do them. After that, Akane made her way out of the farmhouse, and back to the road proper.

She walked further down along the road, leaving the farmland behind. A good while passed in silence until she came upon what looked to be a dock in the distance. So, was that where Rantaro and his little girlfriend had come from? Seemed likely.

Well, she'd searched practically everywhere on this damn island. Perhaps now was the time to get on board a ferry, and begin her search on the central island…

* * *

_You might be saying, hey, isn't Akane OOC here? For her Canon persona, you'd be right. But this version of Akane takes more influence from the backstory we see in her Hope Fragments. Which, quite frankly, we get very little hint of in the actual story. Akane has this real interesting backstory, but almost none of it is reflected in her as a main character, or in the story itself. So expect a different characterization for her here._


	3. Prologue 0-3

**8:58 AM, Day 1**

**?**

Mukuro Ikusaba awoke with a sudden start. This was not unusual for her: as a trained soldier, her body's internal clock often woke her up before any alarm could go off. What was unusual, however, was the fact her body was not where it was supposed to be. Instead of her bed, it felt as if her body was resting on a hardwood floor.

At once she tensed up, and jumped to her feet, instantly taking in her surroundings. It was dark, which made it hard to see anything right away. Over time her eyes adjusted however, and she could make out what appeared to be a dining room. It looked old and disused, and aside from a piano parked in the corner of the room, there wasn't much of interest.

However, as she looked around, Mukuro became aware of another pertinent fact. Her body felt oddly cool, and when she looked down to discover why, Mukuro found that she was completely naked.

That threw her for a loop, and only increased her wariness. A quick check over of her body by hand didn't reveal any immediate signs of abuse or injury, which did relieve her, if only a tiny bit. With that established, however, she needed to figure out her next move.

Mukuro cautiously edged her way to one of the doors in the room, and cracked it open. Peeking outside, she saw that it led out into a hallway, with no one in immediate sight. After a moment, she opened the door some more, and slipped out. She looked down both ends of the hall, before going down a random direction.

At the hall's end, Mukuro found two doors, and a right pathway that went further on. One door seemed to lead into a bathroom, and had nothing else of value. However, as she moved to open the other door...it opened for her.

"Ugh...my head! It's killing me," complained a boy with a wild mane of dreadlocks. He rubbed the back of his head, taking a moment to fully notice the woman in front of him. "Oh, sorry, didn't see...HOLY SHIT YOU'RE NA—!"

Mukuro's fist flew out, decking the boy in the cheek in one swift, brutal move. He immediately flew backwards, the momentum sending him crashing against a desk in the room, before his body dropped like a sack of potatoes.

Mukuro regarded the still body before her, her blank expression unwavering. "Sorry. Force of habit."

After a moment she stepped into the room, crouching down beside the boy. She briefly checked to see if he was still alive—he was—before rummaging through his clothes. As she did so, she had a moment to get a better look at him.

He was a tall dark-skinned boy with brown hair styled into a wild mane of dreadlocks: which quite frankly looked absolutely unmanageable to Mukuro. The layers of clothing on his torso consisted of a black student jacket, an open white shirt, and a small yellow undershirt beneath all that. Below that he wore a loose pair of baggy black pants, and a pair of sandals on his feet. All and all he looked—and smelled—like a homeless person off the streets.

Her search concluded a moment later, but it didn't bring up much. All he had on him was a wallet with two hundred yen in it, and a variety of business cards that identified him as 'Yasuhiro Hagakure, Ultimate Clairvoyant'. All and all, nothing useful.

That done, she stood up, regarding her fallen foe. Her first priority here was to find a pair of clothes to wear, so she leaned over to start stripping him of his garments. She stopped herself after a moment though, standing back up as she wrinkled her nose.

She could find a better source of clothing than this smelly hobo.

That decided, she gave the room a once over, before leaving. She continued down the hall, until she came to what looked like an entrance. She cracked open the door, revealing daylight outside.

A hotel complex, of all things, greeted her as she ventured outside. Mukuro couldn't help but furrow her brow at that, wondering who'd kidnap her and put her in such a lavish place. Certainly no one she knew, especially any enemies she'd made while in Fenrir.

Regardless, no one else was in sight, so Mukuro cautiously moved forward. She darted over to a side staircase, hugging it for cover as she glanced around. Still no one in sight, even from this vantage point. Before she could dwell on that though, she heard voices from up above. Her eyes narrowed, and after a moment, Mukuro hopped over the railing, and onto the stairs proper.

She crouched back down, and slowly ascended the stairs, until she reached the top. Peering from the top of the staircase, she observed what looked like a hotel restaurant, with two people inside. One a pale looking boy, and the other a darkly tanned girl. Neither seemed to have weapons on their persons, as well.

Her eyes zeroed in on the girl, taking a moment to observe her. Mukuro nodded to herself shortly thereafter, and stood up, making her way into the restaurant.

"I'm going to need your clothes, please," she dutifully informed her, once she was at their table.

The girl and her companion fully noticed her once she spoke, and the tanned girl in particular did a double take once she spotted her. That didn't surprise Mukuro, given the odd circumstances.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" she finally asked, an incredulous undertone to her voice.

"Your clothes. I'm going to need them, please. You can hand them to me, or I can take them from you. Your choice," Mukuro declared, gesturing to her outfit. The skirt left a lot to be desired, admittedly, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

The girl merely scoffed in reply, however. She leaned back in her chair, and said, "Heh, fat chance of that sweet cheeks. You'll have to pry my clothes from my cold, dead—!"

With negotiations going nowhere, Mukuro switched tactics, and launched a fist at her. The blow was designed to knock her out instantly, but to her surprise, she managed to rear back and raise a hand in defense. Instead of beating against her skull, her fist smacked against her hand. However, even with the strike blocked, the force behind it couldn't be stopped, and sent the girl flying backwards into the furniture.

"Son of a _bitch_!" she heard her swear, as she laid among the wreckage of the broken chairs and tables.

Mukuro narrowed her eyes, and considered her opponent anew. This was...unexpected. This girl had some serious strength, if she could react fast enough to block one of _her _strikes. She had to take her out fast, then, before she could have time to formulate a proper strategy.

Mukuro rushed over to her, pushing her body to its limits as her foot launched out to hit the other girl's head. But to her surprise, she managed to scramble out of the way, dodging another blow.

Hmph, this girl was good. It wasn't everyday she encountered someone who could keep up with the Ultimate Soldier. And in any other circumstance, Mukuro might want to let the fight drag on, and really test them both. However, she had higher priorities here, and that meant this girl had to go down ASAP.

In the following seconds, Mukuro devised her plan:

She would rush at her again, aiming a fist at her head. The new girl would, predictably, dodge, and finally launch a punch of her own, likely toward her gut. Mukuro would dodge that, and 'miss' the sweep of her foot that would follow, sending her sprawling to the floor.

The mystery girl would pounce on her then, wanting to keep her on the defensive, and Mukuro would use that opportunity to grab her arm and drop them both back to the ground. From there, it would be a simple matter to put her into a chokehold, and choke her out until she blacked out.

At least, it would have been, until something unexpected happened halfway through.

The door to the kitchen burst open without warning, and a short man in a chef's outfit, wielding a frying pan, stormed in. "Now what in sam hell is goin' on here?! Who's picking a fight in my—?!"

He stopped short, doing a double-take when he noticed the naked girl in the restaurant. Even worse, Mukuro had happened to fall in just the right place, to wind up spread-eagled in front of the kitchen doorway. Meaning he saw _everything. _

A deep blush spread across her face, as that fact hit her. She'd been doing her best to remain in Soldier mode, and ignore her state of undress, or how she felt about it, but now...now…!

The explosive nose-bleed he had didn't make the matter any better, and Mukuro felt her skin crawl when a splatter of blood hit her stomach. The fact he apparently fainted did make her feel a smidge better, but it mostly made her motivated to _end this_, right now!

Thankfully, while he had interrupted her plan, the man's distraction gave her a new opening. She saw the mystery girl preoccupied with a bit of blood that had gotten onto her skirt: and in that moment, Mukuro launched into action to seize the opportunity. She got onto her feet in record order and charged at the girl, jumping into a flying kick seconds later, her foot aimed at her head.

Her target only had a moment to realize her mistake and regret her actions, before her foot slammed into her skull, and sent her rocketing to the wall. From there, she made a rough impact against it, leaving cracks in the wall. After that, her opponent slumped to the floor, apparently unconscious.

Mukuro wasted little time, and rushed over to her, stripping the girl in short order. Unbuttoning her shirt and slipping off her skirt and panties didn't take long at all; although, for some reason, she found that her target wasn't wearing a bra. That did stop her short a little, but she continued on nonetheless. It wasn't like her bra would have fit her, anyway.

Soon enough Mukuro was fully dressed again, even if the clothes she wore weren't to her tastes. The white shirt was fine enough, especially when fully buttoned, but the skirt, if it could even be called that, left a lot to be desired. It barely covered her ass!

Still, it wasn't like she had a lot of options here.

The sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears, and Mukuro knew her time was up. She raced over to the outside entrance, and leapt over the stairs, landing on her feet. From there, she raced through the hotel complex, before she reached and jumped over the gate, landing outside.

After that, she took a moment to catch her breath. All right, her clothes were now secured. Onto her next task: finding out if Junko was here too, wherever 'here' was.

"You know, you could have always asked for my clothes instead. I would have gladly given them, and I imagine they'd cover you better than those do," a voice to her left commented.

Mukuro tensed, and lashed out, twisting around as her hand latched around the throat of the person besides her. She raised them effortlessly into the air, her hand squeezing around their neck.

"Ah, s-sorry, didn't mean to s-surprise you," the sickly boy from the restaurant wheezed out, making no move to remove himself from her grip. "I just wanted to talk. It's not...every day I m-meet the Ultimate Soldier."

* * *

**9:11 AM, Day 1**

**Outside Hotel Mirai**

It didn't take long to interrogate the boy: if anything, he was extremely forthcoming about what he knew. Mukuro learned his name and supposed Talent in quick order, but that was about all the useful information he had. He didn't know anything about why they were here, where 'here' was, or what was going on. In essence...

"You're utterly useless to me," Mukuro declared, shaking her head at Nagito.

The boy in question merely rubbed at his neck, still smiling at her. "Oh, I couldn't agree more. I do apologize for that."

Mukuro gave an aggravated sigh, closing her eyes as she considered her actions. She had no idea how long that girl, 'Akane Owari' according to Nagito, would be unconscious. A strike that hard would send a normal person to the hospital...but, that girl had been able to keep up with her in combat: she was far from normal. Not to mention, she was a fellow Ultimate to boot. Thus, it'd be a good idea to leave the area quickly, and begin her search for Junko.

Before she could fully leave, however, Nagito called out to her. "Pardon me, but perhaps I can still help in some way? You can still take my clothes, if you want. It's the least I can do to make up for being so useless."

Mukuro paused, glancing back at him as she considered her options. She'd already sort of committed to this outfit, and the stubborn part of her didn't want to give it up after all the trouble she'd gone through to get it. However...her legs still could use some cover.

A moment later, she swiftly tied Nagito's jacket around her waist, giving her legs a far better set of covering. She resumed her pace thereafter, heading right and away from the hotel. She noticed Nagito following after her but decided not to confront him about it. It wasn't as if he was an actual threat to her or anything.

After a few minutes of walking, she noticed a building peak over the horizon. She had to get closer to it to be sure, but it seemed to be a small airport of some sort: and if her eyes weren't deceiving her, there was an airplane right outside it! Well, if she could find Junko, she might well have their escape route already secured.

Seconds later, however, a shrill feminine scream pierced the air. Mukuro paused briefly in alarm, before she dashed forward, sprinting that last distance to the airport. She arrived there in a flash and kicked the door to the main entrance open. Her hand instinctively went to whip out her pistol—but just seconds later, she remembered she wasn't armed. In lieu of that, Mukuro dropped into a general defensive stance, ready to face what was inside.

She wasn't sure what she'd face inside, but this certainly wasn't a scenario she would have envisioned anytime soon.

A girl with long blue hair, and dressed in a traditional looking school uniform stood in the center of the room, looking rather disheveled and flushed. In her hand, Mukuro noticed she carried some sort of taser. Beneath her rested the twitching, convulsing form of a large, morbidly obese young man. He had short black hair with a pointed ahoge, had on a pair of black-rimmed, thick glasses, and was wearing a dark grey unbuttoned cardigan, with a white undershirt, orange tie, and a pair of dark gray pants beneath it.

The girl gave a startled jump at Mukuro's dynamic entrance, casting a weary glance at her. She seemed to relax a little though upon seeing her, perhaps because she was a woman. Then, the girl started staring back and forth between the taser in her hand, and the convulsing, shuddering boy on the floor.

"Uh, hello there. I don't suppose you know what's going on here?" she inquired after a moment, stowing the taser behind her back.

Mukuro raised an eyebrow at that but shook her head no. The girl sighed in response, looking despondent for a moment before she forced a cheerful smile on her face.

"Well, that's not a problem. Perhaps we can figure things out together? I'm Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Idol. What's your name?" she asked.

Mukuro dutifully introduced herself in return. Meanwhile, Nagito finally bounded up behind her, sounding a little winded as he rested against the door frame. He smiled at Sayaka and introduced himself as well.

"So...what, exactly, happened here?" Mukuro asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. She gestured over to the fallen boy, who had fallen still and silent now. Perhaps the shock of the taser had knocked him out?

"Oh, this? Well," Sayaka trailed off, looking momentarily embarrassed as she gathered together her thoughts. "I woke up in an unfamiliar place, and there was a large, fat man standing over me. I...sort of assumed the worst, and sought to...rectify the situation. In retrospect, I may have possibly...overreacted."

Well, okay. Mukuro could see how such a rude awakening would have inspired this outcome. If anything, she might have done worse had she been in Sayaka's position.

"Have you checked the plane outside? It looked functional from what I could see of it," she asked a moment later.

Sayaka shook her head, so Mukuro took it upon herself to investigate. She exited out of the back of the airport and approached the solitary plane that sat on the tarmac. An up-close inspection revealed the plane looked to be in perfect condition. Whether or not it was fueled and operable was another matter entirely, but it at least looked flyable.

She ascended a staircase that led to the plane's main entry hatch. It was there, however, that Mukuro encountered the first major roadblock to her plan of escape: the hatch door was locked. There didn't seem to be a discernible way to open it either, aside from a keypad embedded right next to the door.

Mukuro grimaced in distaste, as she glared at the keypad. Well, now she was stuck. Until she figured out the passcode here, there was no way anyone was getting aboard this plane.

"Maybe I can try?" Nagito suggested, having walked up the stairs behind her. "Perhaps my luck can be of some actual use, here!"

Mukuro glanced back at him but ultimately shook her head. "Not worth the risk. For all we know, entering the wrong code could put the plane on permanent lockdown. It'd be better to try and find the passcode somewhere else."

Nagito nodded in understanding at that, and the two of them retreated from the plane soon after. They walked back into the airport, where Sayaka and the unconscious man awaited them.

"No luck?" Sayaka asked, to which they shook their heads. "Well, that's unfortunate. Still, perhaps we can find answers or help elsewhere. Would it be all right if I joined you two? I'd feel much safer traveling in your company than just staying here, waiting for help."

What was she, a bodyguard now? Well, it wasn't like it really mattered in the grand scheme of things. She could ditch these two as soon as she found Junko.

So Mukuro nodded her head, and soon the three of them left the airport itself. After that, the trio continued down the road to explore more.

After a few minutes of walking, Mukuro could see a building emerging in the distance. The closer she got, she could make out the name emblazoned on the front: 'Rocketpunch Market'. So, a convenience store of some sort, then. If nothing else, it might be useful on stocking up on supplies.

Once they came upon the market, Mukuro stepped inside first. It was a small, intimate place, so it didn't take long to search it thoroughly. Once more she didn't find any signs of Junko, but she did find someone else.

Standing in front of the store's solitary bathroom was a tall, slim young...man(?) with pale skin and long, dark black hair. He had on a most peculiar outfit, a dark green military style uniform with a red armband around his left arm, and there was a black face mask that obscured the lower portion of his face. It covered his mouth all the way down to his neck, with a zipper where his lips should be. Most strikingly of all, he had a pair of yellow eyes that grabbed one's attention immediately.

Mukuro wasn't sure why, but she felt an odd chill go down her spine when the mystery boy met her studious gaze. Something about him felt...off, but she had no idea what was 'off' about him, or why she felt that way. Which was incredibly weird, given she'd never experienced a sensation like that before.

"Ah, hello there. It seems there are more people on this island after all," the mysterious stranger proclaimed. He turned to fully face them, giving them all a short bow as he introduced himself. "It is a pleasure to meet you all. I am Korekiyo Shinguji, the Ultimate Anthropologist. It seems we are all stuck here together on this mysterious archipelago."

Archipelago? They were on an island?! This was news to Mukuro! She stepped closer to this Korekiyo, but paused, having to restrain herself from simply grabbing him by the neck and interrogating him as she had with Nagito. She had an audience now, and that made her reluctant to do anything untoward in front of them. Extensive training with Fenrir had taught her the necessity of acting like a civilized soldier, at least when in front of the public.

Besides, until she had a better understanding of the situation, it was best to try and remain calm. It wouldn't do to burn any bridges. Well, any more than she had: but with any luck, she wouldn't be seeing that Akane girl anytime soon, and Nagito, for his part, didn't seem to care at all that she'd roughed him up.

She took a breath, closing her eyes briefly before introducing herself, as well as Nagito and Sayaka too, though that was a mere afterthought. "You said we are on an archipelago? How do you know this?"

"It's quite simple, really. Myself and some other compatriots woke on another island, what I believe to be the central island of this island group. All the other islands are inaccessible at the moment, however, except this one. Myself and two others came over here by ferry and decided to split up and search for others like us. We're all trying to gather everyone together, so we can discuss our options and compare notes," Korekiyo dutifully reported.

He glanced over at the bathroom door, gesturing to it before elaborating further. "I had spotted a young girl inside the store here, and hoped to speak with her, but...the moment she saw me, she screamed and ran away, locking herself inside here. I've been trying to calm her down, assure her I mean no ill will, but...that does not seem to have worked, thus far."

Mukuro raised an eyebrow, briefly taking in Korekiyo's appearance again. Yeah, she couldn't imagine why he'd scared someone off at _all_.

She rolled her eyes a moment later but stepped closer to the bathroom all the same. She wasn't interested in getting delayed any further, so she wasn't going to let this stop her. She knocked harshly on the door, before speaking up. "Come on out, whoever's in there. We're not...going to hurt you. We're just looking for answers."

There was a moment of silence afterward, and then she heard the shuffling of feet behind the door. It opened up ever so slightly, and Mukuro could see a grey eye peer out from the crack. "Wh-Who are you people? Are you kidnappers, or something? Oh god...y-you're with my editor, aren't you?! I-I've already started on my next book, I promise!"

"No, we aren't kidnappers...or working for your editor, either," Mukuro replied, her eyebrow twitching faintly. She had no idea what this girl was talking about, and quite frankly, she didn't care. "Just come on out already. If you're worried about the creepy guy here, I'll stop him from molesting you or anything."

"...Am I really that frightful?" Korekiyo questioned aloud, touching a bandage-covered hand to his mouth. Quite pointedly, no one really answered that question.

The bathroom door closed again, but after a few moments, it opened back up, this time fully. Standing behind the door was a girl with long, dark purple hair that was styled into two braids that trailed behind her back. She also had on a pair of wire-rimmed, round glasses, and had on a purple high school uniform. Overall, she seemed like a normal high school girl, if a bit dreary in appearance.

None of that explained the sudden, _overpowering_ killing urge that she felt from the girl. It made Mukuro tense up, her body almost springing into action to subdue her target, before she gained a firm hold of her instincts. She managed to keep herself still, which proved fortunate, as that killing intent seemingly vanished as soon as it had appeared.

What the hell was that?!

"Wh-Who are you people, then? And...wh-why am I here?" the girl questioned, oblivious to Mukuro's own inner turmoil. She bit her thumb anxiously, eyes darting between the assembled teens.

"That's not something we can answer, really. Your second question, at least," Mukuro replied, shrugging slightly. "As for who we are...well, we're like you: stuck here with no idea how we even got here, wherever 'here' is."

Another round of introductions followed that, with the bespectacled girl introducing herself as Toko Fukawa, Ultimate Writing Prodigy. Mukuro had never heard of her before, but from the reactions of everyone else present, it seemed that Miss Fukawa was quite famous.

"My my, I never thought I'd meet such a distinguished author such as yourself," Korekiyo commented, voice dripping with admiration. "So Lingers the Ocean is considered a literary masterpiece by many, myself included. It's had quite the interesting cultural impact on the romance genre, not to mention made fishermen far more attractive to the average Japanese woman."

"I have to admit, it's a favorite novel of mine as well. Probably one of the best books I've ever read!" Sayaka commented, staring at Toko with newfound interest.

Toko, however, seemed to take their praise poorly. A scowl fixed its way onto her face, as she declared, "Y-You don't have to l-lie or anything. I kn-know you really don't mean it."

Oh, great, now she had to deal with a self-loathing writer. Damn it all, she didn't have time for this!

Mukuro decided to go ahead and ignore Toko, now that she'd been coaxed out of the bathroom, and instead focused her attention on Korekiyo. "You said you were searching the rest of the island, right? Have you seen a blonde haired woman during your search? She's...my sister, Junko. I'm trying to find her."

"I apologize, but no. Until I came across Miss Fukawa here, I had found no one else on the island," Korekiyo confessed, shaking his head. "It is possible my compatriots have found her. They were going to a hotel not far from here."

Damn. That meant Junko probably wasn't here. Perhaps she was on another island then? Well, there was only one way to find out.

"I need to find my sister. If she's not here, she's on another island. You said there was a ferry around here, right? Can you show me where it is?" she asked.

"Of course. I meant to bring you all there anyway, so we can all group together at the central island," he said, nodding at her.

With that said, Korekiyo gestured for the group to follow him as he lead the way out of the store. Mukuro intently followed behind him, her fist curling and uncurling as she walked.

Junko had to be on this central island or another island, or somewhere in this goddamned archipelago. Whatever it took, no matter what she had to sacrifice, Mukuro was going to find her sister. There simply wasn't any other option.

* * *

_Review Responses_

_Trust Me: Glad you liked it! Far as characterizations go, I've definitely got some interesting plans! And I heard about that initial plan for Akane. Learning about that partially inspired me to take this different spin with Akane, among other factors._

_Kobold: Heh, that an accurate description of things so far! And as for Ibuki, we shall see!_

_D-Kirb: Thanks! I had a lot of fun coming up with this version of Akane. As for whether or not Miu suffers the fate of Rantaro...we shall see!_

_Celestial: Glad you enjoyed, Celestial! I do appreciate your praise! Hope this answers your questions about Mukuro. I also really enjoyed making that meta joke, heh._

_Crit: Yeah, I didn't intend to make it that way, but that has become something of a fun meme for Akane, hehe! Glad you're liking things so far. I hope this latest chapter matched your expectations!_


	4. Prologue 0-4

**9:12 AM, Day 1**

**Hotel Restaurant, Hotel Mirai**

Kaede immediately rushed to the body of the prone, overweight chef, Shuichi and Tsumugi following right behind her. She immediately feared the worst, but was relieved to see that he didn't actually appear to be hurt. In fact, the only place he seemed to be bleeding from was his nose, of all places.

A minute later, they were successfully able to rouse him. Slowly but surely, the portly man stirred into consciousness, sitting up as he took stock of his surroundings. "Ugh...what in sam hell? What happened? Coulda sworn I saw something important, than I just...blacked out..."

He murmured to himself concerned, not registering their own presence at first. A few seconds later though, he did a double-take, finally noticing them. "Oh! Beg my pardon, didn't see ya there. Name's Teruteru Hanamura, and I'm the Ultimate Chef. Who're you three?"

Kaede introduced them all in a swift manner, not seeing any reason to linger on pleasantries. Shuichi, meanwhile, peered at Teruteru with concern. Until they found an actual medical professional, he was the closest thing they had to a doctor. Well, assuming he _did _have some medical knowledge: but he was the Ultimate Detective, so of course he would. Right?

"Are you okay? Did you hit your head?" Shuichi inquired, peering at Teruteru's head closely. "Do you feel dizzy or noxious at all?"

Teruteru shook his head, though he seemed to regret it instantly, a wince spreading across his face as he clutched at his temples. "N-Not really...my head's throbbing a little, but, well, it's not too bad. Don't feel like I'm bleedin' or nothin'."

That was a relief! Though before Kaede could remark as such, something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She glanced away from Teruteru, briefly scanning the upturned tables and chairs behind him, and her eyes immediately caught sight of a bare foot near the wall!

Her eyes widened in concern, and she bolted right up, quickly dashing over to see who else was hurt. A table covered up most of her body, but she noticed the upper body of Akane, of all people, propped up against the back wall.

"Akane? You're here too?" she openly questioned.

At the sound of her voice, Akane appeared to stir. As she did so, Kaede came closer, cautiously approaching the dazed girl.

"Are you all right? Do you need—oh my god, why are you _still _naked?!" Kaede suddenly yelped, her face flushing crimson as she stared over at Akane.

She could hardly believe her eyes, but Akane was _still _naked; her body seemed a bit bruised and battered, but she was as naked as she had been outside. She couldn't help but stare at her, incredulous at the sight. Really?

Akane, meanwhile, seemed to find her state of undress just as shocking, if the look on her face was any indication.

"...That fuckin' _bitch_! She actually stole my clothes!" Akane suddenly thundered, a darkened scowl flashing across her face. "Oh, she is so _dead_!"

Kaede blinked, and started asking Akane what she meant by that, but the girl was ignoring her now. Before she could even try to stop her, Akane raced out of the restaurant and leapt over the outside staircase, landing on her feet effortlessly. From there, she dashed away, intent on doing...whatever it was that she was doing.

"...What the hell was that?" Kaede asked herself, bemused in the aftermath of Akane's sudden exit. She shook her head after a moment though, and turned her attention back to Teruteru and the others.

Shuichi had helped the portly man to his feet by this point, checking him out further for wounds. Kaede made her way back over to them in the meantime, wondering just what the hell had happened here.

"I'm not sure; I'm having a hard time remembering things," Teruteru claimed, after she asked as much. "I seem to remember hearing some sort of scuffle, and then..."

He trailed off, brow furrowing as his mind raced. After a few seconds a wide, disturbingly perverse grin spread across his lips. "Oh ho! Now I remember! Ah, what a glorious sight _that _was! I'll definitely be taking that memory to my grave!"

Kaede stared at Teruteru in pure bafflement, having no idea what he was going on about. She looked over at Shuichi, who looked just as confused as she was.

"Well, anyway...I apologize for worryin' y'all like that," Teruteru apologized soon after, a more serious look now on his face. "But I'm fine now! I think. Just gotta fix up this mess here, make this dining hall presentable again. Maybe Nagito can...Nagito?"

He broke off, looking about in confusion. "Now where in the hell did that boy wonder off to?"

Kaede took another brief look around, but sure enough, couldn't see anyone else in the restaurant. It made her wonder who this Nagito guy was, but quite frankly, she had more important things to concentrate on. "Hey, Teruteru. I don't mean to push you or anything, but...a lot of us have woken up with no clue how we got here, or where we even are. Do you know anything?"

"Hmm...sorry, I don't know much more than you," Teruteru confessed, shaking his head. "I woke up here in this dining room. No idea how I got here, really. Found another guy in the kitchen, but he was just as clueless as I. I started cookin' up some food, figuring that might attract more people, and then—!"

"SOMEONE HELP ME! HE'S GONNA _KILL _ME!" a sudden, frantic voice shrieked from outside.

Everyone in the restaurant froze at that, Kaede herself staring outside with a mixture of fear and exasperation. "Oh, what _now_?!"

They all charged out seconds later, rushing down the outside stairs to the courtyard. There, they all found a rather unusual sight.

On one side of the pool, a young man cowered behind one of the pool chairs. He had a set of wild, seemingly unkempt dreadlocks, and quite frankly...he smelled like a homeless person. He also had a rather noticeable red mark on his cheek, as well as a little blood leaking out of his mouth, perhaps from getting punched earlier. On the other side of the pool, another guy and a girl stood staring at him. The second boy had green hair and had a rather...unnerving smile, while the girl beside him had brown hair and seemed rather nervous.

"Oh, come now, Yasuhiro. Is that any way to treat an old _friend_?" the green-haired boy declared, his eyes closed and lips spread in what was supposed to be a serene smile...but came off as incredibly unnerving and unsettling, more than anything else. "Besides, I'm very much looking forward to _catching up _with you."

"OH HEAVENLY BUDDHA, SAVE ME!" the man identified as Yasuhiro screamed, tears in his eyes as he crouched down besides a chair. "PL-PLEASE, RANTARO, Y-YOU GOTTA BELIEVE ME! I HAD NO IDEA THE YAKUZA WOULD GO AFTER YOU LIKE THAT, HONEST!"

The man known as Rantaro simply stared ahead at Yasuhiro, his smile still fixed on his face. "My my, and what did you think would happen when you tricked me into stealing from the Kirigiri Clan? But hey, that's all water under the bridge. I just hope you put that money to good use. ...You _did _put it to good use, yes?"

Yasuhiro peaked out from his hiding spot, looking over at Rantaro with a shaky smile. "Y-Yeah, of course! That money helped me buy, like, the greatest crystal ball ever! It cost 20 million yen, but it was worth it!"

Dead silence reigned in the aftermath of that declaration. At the same time, Rantaro's smile abruptly vanished.

"...I'm going to kill you, Yasuhiro," Rantaro calmly stated, as the light faded from his eyes.

He gave another shriek at that, and immediately hid behind the deck chair again. Before things could escalate any further though, Kaede immediately spoke up:

"H-Hey! Calm down, everyone! W-We can't be at each other's throats like this!"

Though Kaede had to admit, if what they said in this exchange was true...this Yasuhiro guy really had it coming.

Regardless, her words seemed to snap Rantaro out of his furious stupor. He shook his head, glancing over at them seconds later. He raised a hand, casually waving at them. "Oh, hey there. So, you three get kidnapped too? You all look all right though, so that's good! The situation could be better, of course, but things could always be worse."

"Kidnapped?" Kaede looked over at him with evident surprise, an icy stab of fear coursing through her body. "You think...we were kidnapped?"

"I KNEW IT!" Yasuhiro interjected, clutching his head in fear as paranoia spiraled in his eyes. "Oh god, it's the Kirigiri, isn't it?! They've finally come back for me!"

"Hiro, first off, if this were the Kirigiri, we'd already be at the bottom of the ocean. Second, I never told the Kirigiri about you. You're _welcome _for that by the way," Rantaro replied, glaring briefly at him.

"Well...I didn't want to say anything, but that _was_ my leading theory." Shuichi admitted beside her, choosing to ignore Yasuhiro. He tilted his hat so it covered one eye, looking away slightly. "I mean, short of everyone having collective amnesia, it's really the only thing that makes sense."

"Well, who says it can't be both?" Rantaro countered, lifting his hands up as he shrugged. "I mean, from what everyone else is saying, no one really remembers how they got here. So unless you three are different, it seems we're all having some sort of memory-loss problems, _and_ got kidnapped. And something tells me one has something to do with the other."

Kaede paled at the implications, her stomach turning over inside of her, causing her to clutch at it. She smiled weakly, trying not to let that notion affect her too badly. "Well...even if that's the case, we can't give up hope! There has to be a way out of...wherever we are, right? And besides, what sort of kidnapper lets their victims roam around freely like this?"

"Yeah, that _is_ a little strange, though there might be an answer for that. We seem to be on some sort of island chain, far from Japan, and besides the others there doesn't really seem to be any people living here. So the kidnapper could feel safe in letting us roam free, knowing we won't really have a chance to escape or get help." he suggested, though his light and jovial tone seemed at odds with the dark implications of his words. Beside him, the girl sniffled a little and rubbed at her eyes, giving a much more appropriate reaction to that idea.

"Wait, 'island chain'?" Tsumugi spoke up, staring at him with uncertainty. "We're on an island?"

He nodded his head at that. "Yep! There are least six islands here: Chihiro and I came from the central one. But aside from this one, we can't access the other islands yet, since the ferries aren't working. Oh! Sorry, where are my manners? I'm Rantaro Amami, the Ultimate Survivor. It's nice to meet ya!"

"And I'm Chihiro Fujisaki, the Ultimate Programmer. I hope we get along!" she introduced herself as well, her earlier tearful expression fading away in exchange for a sweet, beatific smile.

"Well, aren't you a cute little thang? Even if this situation is a little scary, I don't mind so much being surrounded by all these cute little ladies," Teruteru remarked besides her, a somewhat perverse smile on his lips. Chihiro blushed and stammered in response to his words, while Tsumugi simply reached over to smack the back of Teruteru's head, much to his consternation.

"And _I'm _Yasuhiro Hagakure, the Ultimate Clairvoyant!" Yasuhiro declared, standing up now that he wasn't the focus of anyone's ire. He gave a broad grin as he went on, "Say, I don't suppose any of you guys are interested in a fortune telling session? I have great rates for first time cust—!"

Yasuhiro was abruptly cut off as a pool chair sailed across the water and decked him right in the face, bowling him over as he flopped to the ground in a heap. And given the fact he was just recovering from being punched in the face, the chair likely hadn't helped his healing injury at all.

Kaede slowly turned back to look over at Rantaro, who just had an innocent smile on his face. After a moment she gave a shrug, deciding she didn't really care enough to press the issue.

While Hiro groaned on the ground, Kaede took the time to introduce the four of them in turn. After that, however, she remembered something Rantaro had said moments before. "So, wait, 'everyone else'? So you've met other people?"

"Yep. We ran across a bunch of other people on the central island. Not counting myself and Chihiro, there were at least four other people there. Byakuya decided to gather us all at the park, and sent me and Chihiro and Korekiyo over to the other island to see if we could find more people, and spread the word. So, I'd suggest heading over to the docks and take the ferry over to the central island. That's where everyone is gonna be meeting up." Rantaro elaborated.

"Ah, so there are more Ultimates here? It makes me wonder why we're all here." Tsumugi mused, before looking over at Chihiro and Rantaro. "I guess you guys were just accepted into Hope's Peak too?"

"Y-Yes, that's right. That appears to be the one thing we all have in common, besides being Ultimates." Chihiro confirmed as she nodded her head. "Seems like the last thing anyone remembers is entering the academy to begin their first day."

"That's peculiar. Collective amnesia, and almost everyone having the same last memory, at that? Something strange is going on here." Shuichi murmured, an apprehensive look on his face. Kaede couldn't help but share that sentiment, a twisted worry gnawing at her stomach.

"So it seems. Like I said, Chihiro and I are going around to gather all the stragglers, and point them toward the central island. There's a dock not far from here, with a ferry that travels back and forth to the central island every fifteen minutes or so. No one's operating it, so it seems to be on auto-pilot or something. Anyway, I suggest heading that way, and joining the others." Rantaro advised. "Oh, and before you leave, have you come across any others?"

Kaede nodded, and proceeded to tell Rantaro about the other students at the hotel. Though once she mentioned Mondo, an odd smile tugged at Rantaro's lips.

"Ah, that was the pompadour guy, right? Yes, he certainly made an...impression. We were unfortunate enough to catch him in an...intimate moment. But hey, he really should have done a better job of properly shutting the door to his cabin," he remarked. Besides him, Chihiro blushed bright red and hid her face in her hands, groaning softly.

Tsumugi tilted her head curiously, raising an eyebrow at that. "An intimate moment? What do you mean by that?"

"Ah, w-we're better off not knowing, probably," Kaede quickly said, her own face gaining a little color. She didn't have to look over at Shuichi to know he was blushing too. "Anyway, let's get going! It'd be a good idea to meet up with everyone else at this point, I'd say."

It didn't take much to get Tsumugi and Teruteru to agree with her, and not long after they left, leaving Rantaro and Chihiro stayed behind to track down any more stragglers...and look after Yasuhiro too, who hadn't quite come to his senses.

He'd be fine with them. Probably.

Following Rantaro's directions wasn't hard, and sure enough they came across a dock after a bit more of travel. It wasn't all that big: just one big gangplank that led to the ferry, really. Speaking of, the boat was thankfully at the docks already, idling by. The four of them got onboard easily enough, but after that point they had to wait for the ferry to drive itself.

It gave them time to explore the boat itself, though. It was decent sized vessel, that Kaede guessed could maybe seat fifty people at a time. Though outside the main seating area, there wasn't much to explore. There were some bathrooms on board, a vending machine for snacks, the engine room below deck, and the ferry's cockpit.

Though as they investigated the cockpit, the boat suddenly churned into motion. Slowly, the ferry started pulling out of the dock, and to Kaede's amazement she could see the ship's instruments and controls working by themselves. Rantaro was right: some sort of auto-piloting system must be in place, since the boat was steering itself like this!

"This is pretty impressive. I wasn't aware that auto-pilot had gotten this advance, especially for boats." Shuichi observed, as they looked around the room.

"Mm, technology has made many strides and leaps lately. They say that these days we're not far off from genuine Artificial Intelligence!" Tsumugi proclaimed, beaming at him. "And I, for one, look forward to working for our future robot overlords!"

...That was probably a reference to something, but Kaede couldn't bring herself to really pry into that. She wasn't _that _curious.

After that, there wasn't much else to do but to return to the seating area, and wait.

* * *

**9:39 AM, Day 1**

**Ferry en route to Central Island**

Around fifteen minutes later, the central island came into view. From their current perspective, Kaede could also catch a glimpse of the other islands nearby. It was possible that there were more islands, hidden or out of view, but there seemed to be at least four other islands here, not counting the central island and the island they'd just left.

"I wonder if the other islands are uninhabited too. If they are...well, it just makes me wonder. Where are all the people?" Shuichi voiced aloud, eyes narrowed in concern. "There are definitely signs that at some point, people lived here. So where did they go? It's not like the population of an archipelago can disappear overnight, without anyone noticing..."

Another good question that they didn't have an answer for. Kaede hoped that soon, answers would be forthcoming. If nothing else, _someone_ or _something_ had brought them all here for a reason, and they wouldn't want to keep them in the dark forever. It was a morbid thought perhaps, but Kaede still felt it was true.

Once the ferry docked at the central island, it was easy enough to get off and start exploring. This central island seemed a lot smaller than the one they'd come from though, which made traversing it easier and quicker. Adding on to that, there didn't seem to be as much here, compared to the other island. A large, towering Administrative building caught their eye, but they didn't look at it long, since everyone seemed to be gathering at the park.

Speaking of which, they arrived there not long afterward. The park itself was pretty grand and pretty, with a large ornate statue in the middle. Kaede could spot a handful of other people, teenagers near her own age, milling about: presumably the other Ultimates Rantaro had talked about.

Almost as soon as they had arrived, however, a large, rotund man dressed in a formal black-suit jacket and gray vest and trousers approached them. He had platinum blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and wore a pair of rectangular glasses. He crossed his arms as he stopped in front of them, eyeing them all for a moment. Oddly enough, his eyes seemed to linger on her in particular, and Kaede could have sworn she saw something like surprise flicker across his face. As soon as it was there, however, it disappeared.

"Good, it seems like Rantaro and Chihiro have been successful in finding others," he stated, a gratified smile spreading across his lips. He placed an arm across his chest, bowing to them all briefly. "Pardon my manners. I am Byakuya Togami, the Ultimate Butler, at your service. I shall do my utmost best to fulfill any request, should any of you need anything during this peculiar time."

Though his words were demure, Kaede could feel a surprising weight to them. Byakuya had a powerful, enormous presence to him, projecting a fierce and commanding aura. But then again, perhaps that was only befitting of a man labeled the Ultimate Butler.

"Ah, you're _the _Byakuya Togami?" Tsumugi spoke up, staring at him with awe. "I've heard all about you! You're the most famous butler in the world! Or at least, that's what people say. I heard that there's no task you can't complete, and that you've even rented out your services to the most powerful people in the world!"

Byakuya raised an eyebrow at that, perhaps not expecting to receive such praise during their first meeting. He seemed to welcome it all the same, however, as his smile grew larger. "Ah, such high praise from you, Mistress. I cannot help but feel flattered. Yes, I am indeed _that_ Byakuya Togami. Though it seems I'm not the only celebrity here. Isn't that right, Mistress Kaede Akamatsu?"

His eyes landed on her as he said those words, making Kaede flush a little as she herself looked away. She really shouldn't feel so embarrassed and self-conscious about being recognized in public like this, but it always felt so weird when fans approached her! Honestly, Keiko handled this sort of stuff a lot better than she ever did.

"Ah, I'm really not that much of a celebrity. Honest! I just like to play the piano, and sometimes people like to watch me play. It's nothing big, really," she replied, waving her hand dismissively.

Byakuya just shook his head, his smile softening a little as he spoke some more. "I would have to disagree on that, Mistress Akamatsu. Whether you admit it or not, you're the most famous pianist in Japan, if not the world itself. Besides, I seem to recall you making headlines when you held a personal recital for the King of Novoselic."

Kaede felt her face heat up even further at that, and she couldn't help the embarrassed little whine that burst out of her throat then. She thrust her hands up in the air, as if to try and bat away the reminder of her fame. "Please, stop! Ooh, don't remind me...that was so stressful! I was so nervous I'd screw up, or do something embarrassing!"

"You played for a King? Really?" Shuichi interjected, his eyes widening in surprise. Tsumugi and Teruteru, likewise, were giving Kaede a more appreciative stare as well.

Kaede could feel their eyes on her, and wished all the more that Keiko was here to support her. Her sister would know how to handle a situation like this! Or even her manager would do right about now. Oh, she was never any good at talking about this!

Ugh, everyone was staring at her now! She couldn't just clam up! She just...had to talk about the whole experience like it was no big deal, and everything would be okay! Right? That was the sort of advice Keiko usually gave her.

"Well, y-yes, I did. I played a private recital for the King of Novoselic, like Byakuya said. And his wife, daughter, and a few other dignitaries too," she admitted, after taking a few breaths to calm herself. "It was kinda scary at first, but I forgot I was even playing for them after a while. I didn't talk to them long afterward, but the King of Novoselic is a nice guy actually. Really sweet and kind; same goes for his daughter, too! She seemed really impressed with my performance. Though, ah, maybe a little too impressed, since she ended up giving me my first kiss and all..."

Too late, Kaede realized what she had just said. If it was possible, her blush flared up even more, as a new rush of heat bloomed across her cheeks. She couldn't manage to look at any of the guys then and there, but she just _knew_ they had to be looking at her, no doubt even harder now.

She of course knew that those words would only lead to a greater misunderstanding, but at the same time, she found it difficult to fully elaborate on the story. Knowing her luck, she'd only end up making a bigger fool of herself!

"Oh, did someone mention me?" came a sudden, unexpected voice.

Kaede looked up, a sense of relief flooding her as she gazed at her savior. She was happy for any change of topic from the current subject...but, as she opened her mouth to thank her savior, she froze. Her eyes slowly widened, as she took in the sight of the person before her now.

The voice belonged to a young woman of European descent, with long, light-blonde hair, pale skin, and striking blue eyes. She wore a green and white dress with a large red ribbon on her chest, black thigh-high socks, and red shoes. The most important aspect about her, however, was the fact that Kaede _knew _this girl.

"Oh my god," she squeaked out, her cheeks flushing a bright red.

She stared back at her, puzzled, before a flash of recognition flashed through her eyes. A wide, eager smile spread across her lips, and before Kaede could stop her, she dashed over and enveloped her into a wide, crushing hug!

"Oh, Kaede! How lovely it is to see you again!" Sonia Nevermind, the Ultimate Princess, declared. She pulled back after a moment, though only to give Kaede two kisses to her cheeks before hugging her again! "This is a most joyous occasion! It heartens me gladly to see a familiar face among this group of strangers. How are you?"

"Can't...breathe..." Kaede struggled to get out, her face turning from red to blue.

Sonia immediately let her go, taking a step back. A beatific smile graced her lips, as she clasped her hands together. "My apologizes, I do forget my own strength sometimes! I hope you are doing well, though."

"Y-Yeah, I'm...fine..." Kaede murmured, her cheeks still a little flushed as she caught her breath.

"So, you're Sonia Nevermind, the Ultimate Princess?" Shuichi inquired beside her, staring at her with wide eyes. "Um, g-greetings, your Majesty. I, um, it's a pleasure to meet you—!"

"Oh please, do not call me by any titles. We don't need to follow such...constraining rules." Sonia was quick to say, waving a hand. "I may be a princess, yes, but you don't have to call me such. Just think of me as an ordinary Japanese exchange student!"

Shuichi seemed rather skeptical of that, but didn't have time to say much more. Teruteru stepped forward immediately afterward, a rose now inexplicably in his hand, which he then offered to Sonia.

"Greetings, madame. How lovely it is to meet a lady of such class and style!" he enthused, adopting a more smooth and sensual tone. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of an introduction yet. My name is Teruteru Hanamura, and I'm—!"

Before he could finish his sentence, however, someone strode right by and picked him up, slinging him over their shoulders.

"Nope, mine." Akane casually declared, a wolfish grin on her face. "If anyone here is taking advantage of the Ultimate Chef, it's me. Y'all fuckers are shit outta luck."

Teruteru looked briefly startled at this sudden development, but seemed to adapt quick enough. He grinned down at Akane, wryly asking, "I don't suppose I get a say in this, hm?"

"Nope. Besides, you complainin'?" she asked in turn, barking out a laugh. "Anyways, I need your help. That black-haired bitch is around here, I know it! I keep seeing her out of the corner of my eye, but she just keeps avoiding me. So you're gonna help me find her, and help me hold her down when we do."

"Hey now, I'm not that sort of guy..." he protested.

Whatever was said next Kaede couldn't say, as Akane got further away with Teruteru. She had no idea what just happened here, but she was glad it took the attention off of her.

"Yahoo! Time for my dynamic entrance next! For the best has been saved for last!" a feminine voice suddenly crowed.

Before Kaede could search for the source, it came right to them. A rather unique looking girl popped into view besides Byakuya, a wide grin on her face. She was a pale girl with pink eyes and several piercings, and had long multi-colored hair broken up into strands of black, pink, blue and white: with part of her hair tied into two oni horns on the top of her head. She wore a sailor-style school uniform with a black pleated skirt and ripped, mismatched thigh-high socks, and black shoes.

"Ibuki Mioda, the Ultimate Musician, is here, reporting for duty!" she declared, saluting them all as she stood at attention. "At last, the main heroine has arrived!"

A long moment of silence passed in the aftermath of her introduction. Kaede, for her part, couldn't help but _stare _at Ibuki, flabbergasted by her, well, unique introduction.

"Yes, this is...Ibuki, one of our fellow comrades in arms. I woke up alongside her here in the park." Byakuya duly informed them, glancing at her briefly. "From there, we ended up meeting everyone else, and formed a plan of action."

"Yep yep! Byakuya here is really smart! He took charge real fast and got everyone organized!" Ibuki said, beaming up at him. "I'd probably still be running around screaming if it weren't for him!"

"Well it's...nice to meet you, Ibuki." Kaede greeted, waving at her. Ultimate Musician, huh? Well, she could appreciate a fellow musically inclined Ultimate. It made her wonder what Ibuki's singing was like. If she had to guess, probably something bubbly and heartfelt, like most high school girl-bands.

After that, Byakuya took them around, introducing them to all the other Ultimates that had either woken up here, or been brought to the central island. At some point, Rantaro and Chihiro came in too, bringing in the last straggler from the first island: another rotund young man with oddly shaped black hair and a face that, somehow, resembled a hamster.

"I am Hifumi Yamada, the Ultimate Doujin Artist!" the glasses-wearing boy declared, preening at them. "It is a pleasure to meet you all!"

Tsumugi, meanwhile, stared at him with obvious bewilderment. She adjusted her glasses, looking him over. "Hifumi Yamada? Wow, never thought I'd meet Comic-Con royalty. I'm not sure if I should be impressed, or disgusted. The things you've done to Princess Piggles..."

"Aha! So you've heard of my work, hm? Can't say I'm surprised!" Hifumi replied, a smug look on his face as he adjusted his glasses. A moment later however, he did a double-take as he stared again at Tsumugi. "Ah! Ts-Tsumugi Shirogane?! The famed woman who can bring 2-D characters to life! Doth mine eyes deceive me?"

"...I think I just died a little inside," Tsumugi confessed, looking decidedly displeased at his recognition.

"It cannot be! I-Ibuki wasn't the last introduced character after all?!" she abruptly declared, staring at Hifumi with an aghast expression. "D-Does that also mean Ibuki was also lied to about being the main heroine?!"

At any rate, once that introduction was made, it seemed everyone was here. At that point Byakuya was calling everyone to order, in an effort to get everyone to calm down and talk things through. Before he could do that, however, something...unexpected occurred.

"_May I have your attention please!" _a voice suddenly thundered, echoing out from an intercom system set up in the park. "_Your new Mayor has chosen to grace you with her presence! And rest assured, all your questions will soon be answered!"_

That interruption brought them all up short. Before they had time to process that however, something else happened. Kaede caught a flash of movement in the sky, as something started to fly above them. It took her a moment to trace it, and even when she found it, she struggled to keep up with its amazing speed and agility.

By that point everyone had caught sight of it, and was following its movement. Then, the mysterious object slowed down and made a sudden landing upon the main statue in Jabberwock Park. Now that it wasn't moving Kaede could see the entity in its entirety...which only left her more confused.

Upon the statue stood a white rabbit with white feathered wings and a pink bow. She wore a pink and white skirt, a pink bib with white hems, and a golden necklace. She carried a pink staff with a red gem in the center of it, that glowed rather ominously.

All in all, it was far from what Kaede expected to see. Likewise, many of her peers gave their own exclamations of disbelief.

Had she...been drugged? Had Keiko given her some weird pills when she wasn't looking? Because the only way Kaede could feasibly explain the sight before her was if she was tripping balls.

"_Love love! Good morning, everyone!" _the white rabbit proclaimed, a fingerless hand somehow maintaining a firm grip upon her staff. "_And welcome to paradise! My name is Usami, and I'm the new Mayor of Jabberwock Island! That's where we're at, by the way. Anyway, that means I'm in charge here! So, does anyone have any questions?"_

* * *

_**Review Response: **_

_Kobold: Yeah, the boys aren't having the best of luck right now. And if you were in Toko's position, wouldn't you be scared of Kiyo too?_

_Crit: Thanks! Glad you like it so far. I've really enjoyed writing these original interactions. _

_SilverWisp: Heh, Kiyo sure is getting the short end of things. And glad you're enjoying the new characterizations!_


	5. Prologue 0-5

**10:06 AM, Day 1**

**Jabberwock Park, Central Island**

A moment of silence met Usami's declaration, so stunned was everyone by her appearance. Kaede couldn't help but be like her peers in that regard, shocked as she was by the appearance of a talking, flying stuffed rabbit. She briefly wondered if she was asleep, and that his was all some sort of bizarre fever dream she was having, but a pinch to her cheeks confirmed that yes, she was in fact awake.

That moment of shock soon passed though, as everyone around her started talking all at once. A thunderous noise filled the park as the voices of nineteen other people intermingled with each other, everyone trying to speak over the other in a bid to be heard, and get answers from the new 'Mayor' of Jabberwock Island.

"_Woah!"_ Usami reared back, apparently unprepared for this sudden cacophony of noise. "_I-I can't answer everyone all at once! One at a t-time, please!"_

That seemed to help quail some of the noise, as everyone around her calmed down. Before someone sensible could speak up though, she heard Mondo's voice ring out from the crowd.

"Who the hell are you, and what the fuck are we doing here?!" he demanded, his fury radiating throughout the crowd.

Not the most delicate way to ask that, but, well, it was a valid question.

"_L-Like I said, I'm Usami, and I'm the Mayor of Jabberwock Island!"_ the rabbit repeated, sounding a little nervous. "_And as for what you're doing here...well, this is your new home, silly! This is the place where all of you will be spending the rest of your lives!"_

Another marked silence took place after that, though for different reasons. For her part, Kaede couldn't help but feel a chill go down her spine.

Th-this was a joke, right? Some sort of weird, obnoxious prank? That was the only thing that could explain this, in her mind. Because nothing about this made sense! She was still trying to wrap her head around how this flying plush toy could talk, and now she was expected to believe...this?!

"The rest of our lives?" she heard Byakuya speak up behind her. "That's...that's insane! There's no way we can stay here forever! That is just absolutely absurd!"

"I agree with that! Besides, how am I ever going to go to Comic-Con if I'm forced to stay here for the rest of my life?" Hifumi added.

That led to another eruption of noise, as everyone started speaking up at once a second time. Kaede couldn't help but add her own voice to it this time, not wanting to stand for this either! This Jabberwock Island looked nice enough, she supposed, but there was no way she could stay here for the rest of her life! Not without a piano to play, at least!

Oh, and her twin sister too, of course. She couldn't stand the thought of being apart from Keiko the rest of her life!

Meanwhile, Usami remained silent in the face of their demands and denouncements. This went on for a good minute, as the crowd of Ultimates shouted at her. Then, quite abruptly, she spoke.

"_Shut the HELL UP, YOU UNGRATEFUL MAGGOTS!"_

Her voice thundered across the park, becoming twisted and distorted toward the end. Kaede couldn't help but wince at the volume, covering her ears slightly afterward. Everyone around her, meanwhile, was once more stunned into silence.

"_You think you have a choice here? Oh me, oh my, how quaint!" _Usami went on, bellowing out a malicious laugh. "_Well, listen up, and listen well, maggots! Whatever power you had in the Outside World, whatever privilege and prestige you held, whatever ranks were bestowed upon you...they don't matter here. _I _am the one in charge here, and compared to me, you are all filthy, disgusting little _maggots_. Unworthy of anything at all! In fact, I have half a mind to have you all killed for your insolent display. But...I am a kind, gracious Mayor, so I won't go that far. Right now, at least."_

Kaede stared at the creature uneasily, a sense of dread starting to sprout up within her. From the murmurs she heard around her, Kaede figured that everyone else felt much the same as her.

She didn't have long to contemplate Usami's words though, before the rabbit spoke again.

"_Now! With that out of the way, I will confess: you all don't _have _to spend the rest of your lives here. In fact, there's a very simple solution here! One that will guarantee your freedom, and get you a plane ticket out of here!" _she said.

Kaede blinked, not expecting something like that. Still, she regarded Usami cautiously. Something told her that whatever this requirement to leave was, it wouldn't be good.

"And what's that?" she found herself asking aloud. "What do we need to do to get out of here?"

Usami remained silent for a few seconds, before she issued another spine-chilling chuckle. "_Why, it's ever so simple. All you need to do is kill somebody."_

You could hear a pin drop in the utter quiet that followed Usami's bold declaration. Kaede, for her part, merely stared at Usami with horror-filled eyes, unable to believe her ears.

Was this real...? Th-this had to be a joke, right?

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Akane exclaimed. "You really expect us to do shit like that? Fuck you!"

"_Oh ho! You're a feisty one, aren't you? I'm sure you'll do greaaat here. And yes, I DO expect you to do it...stabbing, bludgeoning, strangling, evisceration, decapitation, hell, you can beat someone to death with a rubber chicken for all I care. As long as you can commit a murder...and get away with it...you're free to leave whenever you want!" _Usami reiterated.

"G-Get away with it?" Shuichi spoke up besides her, looking as nervous as she felt. Still, he managed to stare up at Usami without flinching or anything. "Are there...rules to this then? Something we should know?"

Usami tilted her head, staring down at Shuichi, long enough to the point where he did end up looking away. As soon as he did, she cackled once again and replied. "_Very astute observation there, Mister Detective! Yup, as fun as it would be to see everyone here go on a murder spree, a real free-for-all...that's been done already, and I wanna try something different! So with that in mind...I'd like to welcome everyone here to the Second Annual Killing Game! What's a killing game, you might ask? It's very simple."_

"_In the Killing Game, your goal will be to murder one or more students, in order to secure your ticket to freedom! However, don't think you can just murder willy nilly, and get away with it! Every time someone dies, I shall hold a Class Trial, in order to determine who the guilty party, or Blackened, is! If you guys correctly guess who the culprit is, congratulations! You will win the class trial, and be awarded a prize, while the Blackened is punished!_

"_However, if you get it wrong, you guys are the ones who'll get punished, while the Blackened will be given access to the plane in the airfield, and be flown away from Jabberwock Island! And just to be clear...when I say 'punished', I mean _executed_. So at the end of each class trial, either the Blackened will be executed for their crimes, or the class a whole will be, for failing to catch them!"_ Usami proclaimed, and paused, letting them all have a chance to digest that bit of news.

Kaede fiddled with her hair, feeling that knot of dread and horror expand within her. Oh god, this wasn't a joke, was it? Was this thing really serious? Did she really expect them to...kill each other, in order to escape from this island? That was insane! No one would ever...

At the same time though, Kaede couldn't help but glance at the others around her. Almost all of them perfect strangers, people she'd never even met before. Could she really trust all of them to resist this sort of temptation?

No, what was she thinking?! This was just...what Usami wanted, wasn't it?! To divide them, and fill them with paranoia! Well she wasn't gonna have that!

Before she could saw as much though, she saw Usami reach behind herself with one paw, and suddenly thrust it forward, filling the air with what looked like handbooks or smart pads. They rained down upon the students, Kaede quickly snatching one from the air before it hit her.

As she grabbed it, it powered to life, her name briefly flashing upon the screen before it presented a home screen of some sort. A few apps were present on the screen, though she didn't have much time to investigate them.

"_Because I am such a _generous _Mayor, I think it's only fair that I gave everyone here handbooks to help navigate their new daily lives! On these student handbooks, you'll find a map of each island in the Jabberwock archipelago, though for now you'll only have access to the maps of the first and central island. Also included are a few games, a virtual wallet where you can store collected Usa-coins, patent pending, and the rules for the Second Annual Killing Game! In fact, if you'd all be so kind as to read the rules? I'll also be reading them aloud for those too dumb to read...like you, Mondo!"_

She heard Mondo growl somewhere in the crowd, but Kaede paid him no heed. Instead, she pressed the app with the giant 'R' on it, figuring it would hold the rules. Sure enough, it did, and Kaede spent the next few minutes reading them over.

* * *

**1:** Students are required to cohabitate at Jabberwock Island for the remainder of the foreseeable future.

**2:** All acts of violence toward Usami, the Mayor of Jabberwock Island, are strictly prohibited.

**3:** The Body Discovery Announcement will play as soon as three or more people discover a body for the first time.

**4: **Only two students can be killed at any one time by a single culprit.

**5: **When a murder is committed on the island, a class trial will be conducted. Participation in this trial is mandatory for all surviving students.

**6: **If the killer (here in after referred to as "the Blackened") is correctly identified during the class trial, only the blackened will be punished for their crime.

**7: **If the blackened cannot be identified, or if an incorrect student is identified as the blackened, all students except the blackened will be punished for the crime.

**8: **If the blackened survives the class trial, they are declared the winner. At which point, they will be given a ticket out of Jabberwock Island, and sent back home via plane.

**9: **If innocent students continue to survive class trials, the killing game will continue until only one student remains. This will trigger the Sole Survivor clause, allowing the single remaining student to leave the island, regardless of whether or not they've killed someone.

**10: **There is an alternative to the Sole Survivor clause. If a majority of students believe they have discovered the identity of the Mastermind, then they can call on the Mayor to hold a final class trial. If the students are successful in ascertaining the Mastermind's identity, they will be allowed to leave Jabberwock Island. If they fail, or accuse the wrong student, then they will be subject to execution, making the Mastermind the Sole Survivor.

**11: **Usami will never directly participate in a murder.

**12: **Destroying any property of this island without permission is expressly prohibited. This includes the surveillance cameras and monitors.

**13: **Your Usapads are very important items. Make sure you do not damage them.

**14: **You are free to investigate this island at your own discretion. Your actions in this regard are not limited.

**15: **Students who violate these rules will be exterminated with extreme prejudice by either the Mayor or the Police of Jabberwock Island.

**16: **A select group of students will be selected to act as 'Staff' for the duration of the Killing Game. The staff are charged with the upkeep of Hotel Mirai, and will need to follow every order issued by the Mayor. Failure to comply will result in a strike: earn three strikes, and the Staff in question will be punished.

**17: **The Staff cannot be attacked or killed by any students. Anyone attempting to harm a Staff member will be swiftly punished.

**18: **The Staff will not be counted as students, and will be regarded as a separate group. They will give testimony when required during class trials, but will otherwise serve as passive observers for trials. If the Staff survive to the end of the Killing Game, they may escape alongside the Sole Survivor.

**19: **The Mayor may add additional regulations to this list at any time.

* * *

"_And those are the rules!" _Usami said, as soon as she finished reading them aloud. "_Now with that out of the way, allow me to introduce the Jabberwock Police Force! They will be enforcing the rules when I am not present, and are tasked with automatically punishing any rule breakers!"_

As soon as she said that, the the rumble of marching feet filled the air. Before Kaede or anyone else realized it, they were surrounded by a hoard of...robots. That's what they clearly were. They were large, bi-pedal mechanical beings, with thin arms and legs. They were painted a mixture of blue and gray, had ominous red eyes, and painted-on teeth in a facsimile of a mouth.

The thing that really caught Kaede's attention, though, was the right forearm of each robot. In place of a regular arm and hand, they had a gun turret installed. From the look of them, it seemed they could fire a lot of bullets too: enough to prove instantly fatal, if not outright rip someone to bloody shreds.

"_Behold our lovely boys in blue! Aren't they a grand sight?" _Usami stated, giving a dreamy sigh, of all things, as she stared at the deadly mechanoids. "_They aren't near as smart as me though, so don't expect them to answer any questions. Now! It's time to pick the Staff for Jabberwock Island! Any volunteers?"_

No one immediately responded to Usami, but that seemed to be an answer enough for her. She waved her staff around, as if to cast a magic spell: and while everyone was transfixed with that, four of the police robots moved in amongst them.

Each of them had a bulky looking collar in their hand, and before anyone could react, four of these collars were clamped around the necks of Byakuya, Yasuhiro, Miu, and Mukuro. Well, to be fair, Mukuro was actually able to react in time, turning to twist away from the robot nearest her, but she was suddenly gut-punched by a second robot who flashed in front of her: that stunned her long enough to get the collar clamped around her neck.

"_And there we go! Our staff has been chosen. Give them a round of applause, everyone!" _Usami crowed. Meanwhile, the four 'volunteers' all tried to pry the collars off of their necks, but to no success.

"_Oh, that reminds me! There's one last thing before I end things here."_

Kaede turned her attention back to Usami, casting a wary gaze at her. It wasn't until everyone had turned their attention to the rabbit that she spoke, and what she did next turned Kaede pale with fear.

"_I know some of you must still be doubting me. You think this is a prank, or that I'm not serious. Well, let me assure you, I am _quite _serious. And just to make sure everyone here gets the point...I'll allow myself _one _act of senseless violence. After all, it's been a long day, and I deserve it!" _she said, before giving another mad cackle.

A moment later, Usami's free paw opened up on itself, revealing the barrel of a gun inside. Seconds later, a deafening, booming noise echoed through the park. Within moments, a loud, piercing scream filled the air, and everyone broke apart, scattering away on instinct.

When Kaede turned back to look where she'd stood, she saw Rantaro collapsed on the ground, groaning in pain, and clutching his left arm. Blood, so much blood, was pouring out from between his fingers.

"_And there we go! With that, I officially begin the Second Annual Killing Game: Paradise Island Edition!" _Usami cheered, thrusting a paw up victoriously. "_And personally...I can't _wait_ to see what sort of _futile _actions you all resort to. Fufufufufu..."_

* * *

**WELCOME, ONE AND ALL, TO THE SECOND ANNUAL KILLING GAME! **

**STARRING,**

**KAEDE AKAMATSU**

_"...I-I don't understand! None of this...none of this makes any sense! How can-!"_

**SHUICHI SAIHARA**

_"Kaede...I know things don't look good right now, but...I have faith in you! With you and Byakuya leading us forward, we can beat this Killing Game!"_

**TSUMUGI SHIROGANE**

_"For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."_

**MONDO OWADA**

_"Say that again, asshole! Say that one more goddamn time!"_

**TERUTERU HANAMURA**

_"What do I miss most, huh? Well...my mother, I suppose. She's a kind, gentle woman, taught me everything I know about cookin'! I just hope she's okay out there..."_

**SAYAKA MAIZONO**

_"Is that so strange to consider? I mean, I was basically told I couldn't have a boyfriend. But they never said anything about-"_

**IBUKI MIODA**

_"Eh? Ibuki is supposed to give an ominous sentence out of context? B-But, Ibuki doesn't know what to say-!"_

**KOREKIYO SHINGUJI**

_"Sonia, please stop for a moment. None of what you've told me is adding up in my head. How can you successfully train a child to operate a tank? How has your country managed to retain its absolute monarchy, despite every other country in Europe abandoning such a system? And what, pray tell, is a skong? I just...I'm having a hard time understanding..."_

**AKANE OWARI**

_"Touch my plate, and you will lose that goddamn hand."_

**HIFUMI YAMADA**

_"Collecting figurines is a respectable hobby, damn you! It is NOT a waste of money!"_

**NAGITO KOMAEDA**

_"Don't you see? This is the only way the greatest amount of Hope can be made. Only through the deepest, darkest pits of despair, can a truly brilliant Hope be forged!"_

**MIU IRUMA**

_"Goddamnit, I hate this! It's like it's on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't get it out! Ugh, my fucking head...what is wrong with me?! Why can't I remember?!"_

**TOKO FUKAWA**

_"Yeah, r-right. I know what you're r-really thinking, y-you perverted e-emo boy! D-Don't think I-I don't kn-know what you're r-really after!"_

**YASUHIRO HAGAKURE**

_"Ha! Everything's coming up Yasuhiro!"_

**RANTARO AMAMI**

_"I know things seem grim, but trust me, I've been through situations like this before. If we all work together, I know we can succeed."_

**BYAKUYA TOGAMI(?)**

_"I have sworn to complete any task given to me, within reason. And that, I am afraid, is a task I am unwilling to do."_

**CHIHIRO FUJISAKI**

_"I...have to become strong. It's difficult to explain, but...it's just something I need to do. Please, can you help me?"_

**MIKAN TSUMIKI**

_"Ah! N-Nooo! Pl-please, don't stare! Ooh, now I'm never going to get married!"_

**SONIA NEVERMIND**

_"Ah, Mukuro! How nice to see you. I was just in need of a sparring partner. Would you terribly mind fulfilling that position?"_

**AND**

**MUKURO IKUSABA**

_"Why does everyone keep assuming I'm planning on stealing their clothes?"_

**FEATURING**

**NEW EXECUTIONS**

**NEW MURDERS**

**A NEW MASTERMIND**

**AND MUCH MORE**

**THIS IS**

**DANGANRONPA: ABSOLUTION IN A DYING WORLD**

* * *

_Review Response_

_AV: Keiko is Kaede's twin sister in this continuity. _

_Kobold: Glad you're enjoying it! Far as Byakuya(?) and the Kirigiri goes, there's a rather simple answer to that. And heh, I'll try not to, but I make no promises when it comes to Yuri pairings. :P_

_Celestial: I have a fondness for Hiyoko myself, so I did regret that she didn't end up in the story. But, worry not, I have plans for her! She'll definitely make an appearance in the sequel, if one gets written. As for Sayaka's arc, I also have some interesting plans for her! I also really enjoyed having Hifumi just get shit on by everyone, that was fun. As for your questions about Monokuma and Junko...I hope this helps answer them! ;)_

_JC: The answer to your question is: yes. :P_

_Guest: I gotta admit, I made it a personal challenge to try and make Teruteru more likable, and less of a sex offender. Glad that's paying off! _

_PurpleGod: Thanks! Glad you're liking it. Hope you continue to stick with this!_


	6. Blood Moon Rising, 1-1

**10:17 AM, Day 1**

**Jabberwock Park, Central Island**

After she made her little speech and shot Rantaro, Usami flew away, heading toward one of the other islands. The police-bots withdrew as well, their metal feet clanking against the ground as they marched away. That just left the rest of them to deal with the wounded Rantaro.

"Damn it!" Akane hissed, as she rushed to his side. Could that bastard not avoid getting injured for once in his life?!

Mikan met her there, already fretting and worrying over him. Akane wasted little time in helping her out, batting Rantaro's hand away from his wound, and then ripping open the sleeve of his shirt.

"Looks like it went clean through your arm," Akane noted, even as Mikan pressed her hands against the bullet wound to resume applying pressure.

"Well, we can be...thankful of that much, at least," Rantaro replied, his voice hoarse and tinged with pain. However, he seemed to be in surprisingly good spirits, all things considered. Given the fact this wasn't his first time getting shot, though, perhaps it wasn't all that shocking to him.

"Oh no, this isn't good, this isn't good at all!" Mikan, meanwhile, gave full-fledged into her panic. "I-I don't have any supplies on me! A-And I don't think there's a hospital anywhere near here..."

She bit her lip, still looking rather nervous before she turned her head to address the others at large. "D-does anyone know where a first aid kit is?!"

"I think there was one in the administration building. I shall go retrieve it at once!" Byakuya declared a determined gleam in his eye. He dashed away at once with surprising speed, his weight oddly doing nothing to hinder his movements. Ibuki ran after him a moment later, yelling that she'd help him search for it.

"I-If they can't find one, you're welcome to tear my shirt up and use that for bandages, if need be," Rantaro offered after a moment, giving Mikan a pained smile. "And hey, this could always be worse. At least you don't have to remove any bullets."

Akane couldn't help but roll her eyes. "After all this time, you're still blase as ever, Rantaro. I thought you would have changed by now, but guess I was wrong."

"Funny, I could say the same to you. Still as caustic and antagonistic as ever, Akane. I guess your time in Japan didn't soften your edges, eh?" Rantaro countered, giving a little chuckle. That proved to be a mistake though, as he winced a moment later.

"Pl-please don't do anything that might irritate your wound! J-Just try to lie down and relax!" Mikan interjected, giving him a pleading, tearful look.

That managed to shut him up, thankfully, and not long after Byakuya and Ibuki arrived, a first aid kit in hand. They handed it off to Mikan, who immediately set to work. With her training, it didn't take long at all to get Rantaro's wound properly bandaged. After that, she used the remaining supplies in the first aid kit to fashion a makeshift sling for Rantaro's left arm.

"Oh, thank goodness," Mikan sighed, sagging with relief once she'd properly tended to Rantaro. "Although...I-I won't know for sure if there's more internal damage, without taking an x-ray of the injury. There's no telling when I can get access to any equipment like that, too…"

"I-It's fine, really," Rantaro assured. He sat up, giving a wince as he jostled his arm a little in the process.

Mikan just shook her head though, tears gathering at her eyes again. "B-But it's not! The bullet could have f-fractured a bone, and there's no way to tell for sure without an x-ray! A-And without proper medical supplies or a proper cast, there's a chance your wound could get infected, or it could fester and worsen..."

"Hey, it's okay. Believe me, he's survived worse. Don't cut yourself short, either. Considering what you had to work with, you've done a damn good job so far," Akane said, reaching over to gently pat Mikan's shoulder. The poor girl certainly looked like she needed some comfort.

Mikan sniffled in reply, looking doubtful at her, but didn't say anything in response. Figuring that was good enough, Akane got back up to her feet, helping Rantaro up a moment later. He winced and grunted in pain the whole time, which...wasn't surprising. Aside from some disinfectant, Mikan had sprayed his wound with, he had nothing at all to kill his pain. Which, well, had to suck _massively._

"W-We should get you someplace to rest," Mikan murmured, looking over anxiously at Rantaro. "Give your wound time to heal. I-I'd give you something for the pain, but..."

"I can take care of that. There's probably a cabin back on the other island with his name on it; and if not, he can just stay at mine." Akane offered up. "I don't mind looking after his sorry ass for a little while. Maybe I can even find some booze for him to numb the pain with."

"I-I'm not leaving him alone!" Mikan replied, a surprising amount of force in her voice. Akane half-expected her to back down after she glanced back at her, but the timid girl stood her ground, a rather cute, determined expression on her face. "I-I mean, I have to look after him, in case it gets worse, or he needs further treatment..."

"Okay, fine. We'll take him together. Sound fine to you?" Akane asked. Mikan shook her head 'yes' a moment later. "Good. Come on, let's get you out of here, Rantaro."

He tried to object, no doubt to say some bullshit tough-guy thing about how he was 'fine', but between the two of them, he didn't stand a chance. With Mikan's help, Akane led him away, only sparing a glance back at the rest of the group.

Aside from Ibuki and Byakuya, everyone else had just stood around and watched, the useless fucks. Well, then again, maybe it wasn't entirely their faults. Not everyone reacted well the first time they witnessed a traumatic event, after all.

At any rate, she paid them no further heed. Instead, she concentrated on helping Rantaro, letting him lean against her as they walked back to the ferry.

* * *

**10:29 AM, Day 1**

**Jabberwock Park, Central Island**

Kaede watched as Akane and Mikan help Rantaro away, breathing a sigh of relief for him. She'd been practically paralyzed when he got shot so suddenly, but she was glad to see he was...if not 'okay', then at least under professional care. It was a good thing they had a medical professional here with them.

Well, at least that was over with now—

"_Oh! I almost forgot!"_ Usami popped up out of nowhere, settling herself right in front of Kaede. Her sudden appearance startled her so much, that Kaede couldn't help but give a yelp and stagger away from the creature.

"_I gots ta do orientation with the Staff! Silly me, how could I forget?"_ Usami questioned rhetorically, giving a cheery little giggle.

"Wah! Y-You!" Miu, like Kaede, seemed stunned by Usami's sudden appearance. A moment later though she glared at the rabbit, and marched over toward her, seemingly undaunted by her earlier display of violence. "I-I don't know what the fuck's going on here, but get this shit off of my neck! I already got a collar on, thank you very much! I don't need this bulky ass piece of sh—!"

Miu abruptly cut herself off, collapsing to the ground as she started shaking and convulsing. To Kaede's increasing horror, she noticed that the other three 'staff' members—Byakuya, Mukuro, and Yasuhiro—were all on the ground with her, shaking and twitching themselves.

Then, just as suddenly, they stopped. Miu was the first one on her feet a moment later, gasping for air.

"_Lesson number one! Never insult the Mayor. If you do, that will result in a group punishment! Got it?"_ Usami questioned, shooting Miu an intense glare.

"Y-Yes ma'am," Miu stuttered out, a sheer look of terror on her face as she stared at her tormentor.

"_Good! Well, let's be off, then! Love love!"_ Usami declared, cheering happily. Rather reluctantly, Miu and the other three followed the rabbit as she led them away.

"...Holy shit, this is _fucked_ _up_," she heard Teruteru murmur behind her, sounding just as horrified as she felt. "What in sam hell have we got ourselves into?"

That was a very good question. Kaede just wished she had an answer for him.

"Everyone, I know this is a tiring time; we're all scared and unsure of what's going on. Believe me, you aren't alone in that!" Sonia spoke up, raising her voice to address the scattered group. Glancing over at her, she went on, "There isn't much else we can do here: for now, I think it'd be best if we all retired and had a moment to think for ourselves. Isn't that right, Kaede?"

"Huh?" Kaede gave Sonia a surprised stare, not expecting to be pushed into the spotlight like this. All the same, she gave a quick nod as she rallied to Sonia's side. "R-Right! Sonia's right. I think...having some time to think and calm down would do us all well. Teruteru, maybe you could fix us all some food in the restaurant? I don't know when any of us last ate, but it's probably been awhile."

"Oh? Oh, yeah, I can do that!" Teruteru readily agreed, looking happy to have an assigned role. "Yes, yes, what we all need is some soul food to nourish the mind and body! I can do just that! Just leave it to me!"

Kaede gave him a pleasant smile in return, more than happy to hear that. No one else really objected to the idea, and not long after they started heading over to the ferry as a group. Things still felt tense, but now that they all had a common purpose, they were at least willing to work together.

Kaede just hoped that feeling would last...

At any rate, they only had to wait a little while before the next ferry showed up. Kaede gladly took a seat next to Shuichi, though she found herself pleasantly surprised when Tsumugi took the seat on her other side.

"Goodness, that was frightful." Tsumugi proclaimed, giving a little sigh as she sank into her chair. "It felt like I was frozen stiff with fear! Now that I've experienced that trope first-hand, I feel like I can relate a lot better to certain characters in anime..."

"I've seen some disturbing things while I've been working with my uncle, but...well, that was certainly one of the most unusual things I've witnessed. I'm just glad we had a nurse on hand to deal with Rantaro. I have some basic medical training, but nothing to really help treat a bullet wound." Shuichi said, grimacing a little.

Kaede nodded at them both, not quite sure what to say herself. So much had already happened, and it wasn't even noon yet! She still half expected to find out that this was all a dream, and she'd be waking up at any moment.

However...that didn't seem to be the case. This place...however unusual and extreme their situation was, it seemed deadly real. After all, you couldn't just fake getting shot like that. Which meant that murderous rabbit really expected them to murder each other...

God, since when had her life become so messed up?!

"Are you okay, Kaede?" Shuichi spoke up a moment later, looking at her with evident concern.

She blinked, glancing over at him before shaking her head a little. She couldn't let herself get wrapped up in such morbid thoughts. "Sorry, it's just...I'm having a hard time adjusting, is all. I guess. This all just seems so sudden...but, I won't let it get me down! Usami just wants us to break down, and get at each other's throats, after all. And I'm not about to do anything that would make our captor happy."

Shuichi gave a shy little smile at that, while Tsumugi also beamed at her.

"That's the way to think about things!" Tsumugi agreed, nodding her head. "Whatever we do, we can't play into our kidnapper's hands. Devolving into paranoia and murder...that's just what they'd want!"

"Still, we should be careful. Carelessly antagonizing Usami, or whoever's behind her, might lead to needless conflict and pain. Like what happened with Miu." Shuichi advised, closing his eyes in thought. "Either way, I do agree, presenting a united front...it's the best possible plan. We should wait to discuss that with everyone at large, though. Whatever our plan moving forward is, it'd be best to talk about it as a group."

Kaede nodded at that. "Sounds like a good idea to me! Well...guess we just need to wait, then. Hm...what should we do to pass the time? It is sort of a long ride to the first island."

"Oh, I know!" Tsumugi brightened up at that, staring at the two of them intently. "I never did find out what your favorite anime was! Why don't you two tell me now?"

"Ah..." Kaede looked away a bit nervously, as she rubbed the back of her head. "I mean...I'm honestly not that big an anime fan, Tsumugi..."

She stared at her for a long moment, a blank look on her face. Then, just as quickly, Tsumugi adjusted her glasses and looked away with a huff. "You're dead to me, Kaede."

"Woah! J-Just like that?!" Kaede exclaimed, staring at her in shock.

Consequently, the rest of the boat ride was spent trying to win back Tsumugi's favor.

* * *

**10:34 AM, Day 1**

**Administration Building, Central Island**

Suffice to say, this situation was not ideal. In fact, Mukuro couldn't think of a worse situation for her to be in. Even during her days as a mercenary under Fenrir, things had never quite been so dire.

Here she was, on an island of unknown location—perhaps hundreds or thousands of miles away from Japan—surrounded by strangers of unknown disposition, and now she was essentially being held captive by some crazed robotic bunny, and forced to participate in some absurd, murderous contest. Even worse, she _still _had no idea where Junko was.

After that lesson in humility, Usami had led the four of them to the Administration building, a two-story, nondescript office building. It was utterly unremarkable, except for the fact that two of the Police-bots were stationed beside the front doors. Usami led them in without a care, the automatons not reacting at all as she guided them inside.

From there, Usami led them through halls and rooms that had seen better days, to be frank. Papers lay scattered on the floor, doors were left partially unhinged, scorch marks and bullet holes littered the walls...something significant had gone down here some time ago. If anything, it was rather telling that, compared to the pristine places she'd seen so far, Usami left this building as it was.

Finally, the rabbit stopped in front of a door with the word 'Mayor' hastily painted in front of it. She kicked it open, and filed inside, gesturing for them all to follow.

Much like the rest of the building, this office was also in tatters. Books lay carelessly scattered on the floor, a shelf had been left where it'd fallen on the floor, and the main desk was on its front-end, bullet-holes littering the visible surface of the polished wood.

"_Now then! With everyone here, it's time to begin orientation!"_ Usami declared, jumping up to sit on the office chair behind the desk. Surprisingly enough, it was the only thing in the room undamaged and in its proper upright position.

Mukuro stared at the rabbit, frowning slightly as she observed the room around her. At the same time, she felt her foot crunch against something below her.

She looked down, noticing a broken picture frame just under her shoe. It was dirty and somewhat torn, but she could make out what looked to be a beaming older man with a somewhat gaunt face and facial hair stubble. He had an arm slung around a younger teen that was his spitting image, only less lean and gaunt as the older man. What interested her most, however, was the fact that this younger, red-eyed man was dressed in military fatigues.

The sight of that sparked something in her mind, a hazy, ill-defined memory, but Usami continued on before she could concentrate on that thought.

"_Now! As Staff of the Hotel Mirai, each of you will be assigned a specific duty in the hotel's upkeep. Alongside that, you will be expected to fulfill any extraneous orders that I give you or tasks that need fulfilling. Failure to comply will result in a strike! Get three strikes, and you're outta here! Do I make myself clear?"_ Usami asked with a clear note of malice in her tone.

No one among them objected, even Mukuro herself. After that dumb blonde bimbo had provoked Usami, it seemed no one was willing to risk her wrath a second time.

"_Good! And just to show ya I'm a nice, sweet little rabbit...I won't count Tits McGee here's little rebellion as a proper strike. So as of right now, you all have a clean slate! Make sure it stays that way, got it?"_ she went on.

Miu gave a little whimper beside her but otherwise nodded at the homicidal bunny.

"I must ask...what happens if we do earn three strikes? Will it be a punishment similar to that of the 'Blackened' your rules talked about?" Byakuya spoke up, staring down contemptuously at Usami.

"_You've got that right in the hole, Byakuya! Give the man a prize!"_ Usami cheered, nodding her head.

A moment later something flew from her paw, sailing through the air until it smacked Byakuya in the face. It was only when it landed on the ground, not harming him in the least, did Mukuro realize what it was: a biscuit. Or rather, the broken remains of a biscuit. It seemed to have crumbled apart when it smacked against Byakuya's face.

"..." Byakuya remained silent for a moment, before reaching up with a gloved hand to wipe at the crumbs left on his face from the impact. After that, his eye started to twitch, and the larger man started to shake ever so slightly.

"D-Did you just...?"

"_Anyway! Byakuya had it right there. If ya earn three strikes, you're dead! More specifically...your collars there are bulky for a reason! There's a bomb implanted in each one of them. I can set them off at any time...so! If you disobey me enough to earn three strikes, then BAM! Your head's gone," _Usami declared, ignoring Byakuya entirely.

Dead silence lingered in the room after that sudden revelation. Mukuro herself couldn't help but reflexively grab her collar, a spike of fear flashing through her. Likewise, everyone else seemed just as scared as she was.

There was a bomb in this cumbersome collar? That...made things even more difficult. Assuming Junko wasn't on one of the other islands—which seemed likely at this point—her new priority now was to escape this wretched place. But this...it put a big wrench in her plans. She was the Ultimate Soldier, after all, not the Ultimate Mechanic or something like that. She had no expertise whatsoever in safely disarming this collar.

Damn it all. How the hell was she going to get out of here now?

"_Now! With that outta the way, it's time to give everyone their proper role!"_ Usami declared, acting as if nothing was wrong.

She pointed a stubby paw at her first, elaborating, "_Mukuro Ikusaba! As the Ultimate Soldier, you here are the perfect candidate for the Head of Security! Your job will be to ensure peace and stability on the grounds of Hotel Mirai. That mainly means enforcing the rules as far as the destruction of island property goes. You're also welcome to act as an enforcer of peace on Hotel grounds...though I'm not sure how well that would go, fufufu. You'll also be acting as my Hammer of Justice when necessary. And, of course, if you catch anyone breaking the rules...you have complete authority to kill them! Got it?"_

She nodded dimly at that, inwardly bristling at being ordered around by such a farcical creature...but for now, she had no other choice but to accept it. All things considered, she had a rather simple job, and it fits perfectly with her skillset.

"_Good! Up next is you, magic man!"_ Usami declared and gestured over to Yasuhiro, who jumped at being addressed. "_You're...ah...um...oh! You'll be the hotel concierge! You get to check in new guests if any arrive, and you'll be in charge of the hotel in general! I guess. Each cabin has a phone in it that connects to the main desk in the hotel lobby, so if anyone calls requesting something, you'll be the one answering those calls!"_

"Um, that's okay, I guess?" Hiro replied, looking a bit bewildered as he scratched the back of his head.

"_Now, Byakuya! You're pretty easy to place. As befitting the Ultimate Butler, you shall be in charge of Housekeeping in the Hotel Mirai. You'll be given a special key that lets you access all the cabins on the hotel grounds, letting you clean up the rooms every day. You'll also be tasked with fulfilling any requests the guests have, like delivering food cooked up by the Ultimate Cook. Sound like a plan? I mean, you _are _the Ultimate Butler...aren't you?" _Usami inquired, giving him a particularly vicious smirk.

Byakuya stiffened at that for some reason, his eyes widening. Mukuro studied his pudgy face, curious as to what got him so worked up, but Usami continued on before she could really analyze him.

"_And finally! We have Miss Miu Iruma, the Ultimate...Whatever! I have a very special job for you! You shall be...the Hotel Morale Officer!"_ Usami proclaimed.

A moment of quiet passed, as Miu scratched her cheek in confusion. "...What the hell is that—!"

"_Which means you shall be involved in keeping up the morale of everyone in the hotel grounds! And what better way of doing that than showing off your ugly, slutty body?"_ Usami tittered, issuing a malicious chuckle.

"Ug-ugly? Slutty?!" Miu repeated, her face rapidly heating up, while her breathing became more erratic.

"_Yup! After all, it's the only good thing a worthless dumb sow like you is good for!"_ Usami declared, giggling as Miu gasped and squirmed at getting insulted further.

...Mukuro wasn't sure what she was watching now, but whatever it was, she wasn't liking it.

"_Well, that's it for now! You all aren't on the clock until tomorrow, so feel free to rest and relax until then. And just so ya know...refusing to do your duties as staff? That doesn't just earn you a strike: that skips you straight toward your final _penalty_,"_ she said, pure menace leaking out from her tone.

That seemed to sober everyone up, herself included. She openly scowled at the cursed rabbit but she didn't object, seeing no point in it. They were dismissed after that, with Mukuro the last to leave the room.

Before she could exit, though, she heard her captor call after her.

"_Mukuro? I'd like a word in private with you."_

She paused, glancing back at the rabbit with narrowed eyes. After a tense moment she complied, and stepped back into the office, closing the door behind her.

* * *

**10:54 AM, Day 1**

**Rantaro's Cabin, Hotel Mirai**

"Hey, good news! I found booze at the market," Akane declared, kicking open the door to Rantaro's cabin.

The man in question was sitting up on his bed, resting his back against the headboard. Mikan was still at his side, fretting over him. In any other situation, a guy might be more grateful to have such a cute girl fawning over him...but, well, in this circumstance, Rantaro seemed too focused on his pain to give it much attention.

"Oh thank god," Rantaro burst out, looking over at the bottle she held eagerly. He grimaced, doing his best not to jostle his left arm. "Good lord, I forgot how..._agonizing_ it is to get shot, and not have...painkillers on hand. Christ, give me that bottle already, Akane!"

Akane couldn't help but let out a chuckle at that. So much for his tough-guy attitude! She felt tempted to throw the bottle at him, but she decided to show him a little mercy. After taking a swig from the bottle herself first, she walked over to him and handed it over to his good arm.

"N-Normally, I'd advise against drinking...but alcohol _is_ an effective painkiller, so I can allow it under these circumstances," Mikan noted, looking at the bottle with some worry. "Um, i-if it's easier for you, I could hold it for you—!"

Rantaro wasted little time, however. He popped the top off and greedily drank from it, swallowing several mouthfuls before grimacing and sputtering a little.

"God, this tastes vile. What is this, Romanian beer?" he asked, before taking another sip.

"Beats me. Only thing I know is that the bottle was labeled 'alcohol'," Akane replied, giving a light shrug. "And yeah, it takes like shit, but it's the only booze we got right now."

"Fair. Beggars can't be choosers," Rantaro agreed, taking one more sip before handing the bottle back to her.

Akane grabbed it, placing it on his nightstand a moment later. She watched Rantaro lay back against his bed, glancing at his bandaged arm.

"Ah...feeling better already," Rantaro declared, giving a small sigh of relief. "God, it's been forever since I last got shot. I almost forgot what it felt like."

"Y-You've been shot before?" Mikan interjected, sounding rightly horrified.

"Mm. This would be the eighth time I've been shot, far as I recall. And god knows how many times I've been shot _at. _I've also been stabbed, beaten, burned, tortured, poisoned..." Rantaro trailed off, counting off each of them with the fingers of his free hand. "You name it, I've probably experienced it. If it's not instantly fatal, I've survived it. Sorta comes with the territory."

Akane watched as Mikan grew more and more horrified at his words. She'd have smacked Rantaro for bullshitting them on her part, if she didn't know better, at least. She'd seen for herself just how true that was.

"There aren't any injuries you need to treat, though. This is my most recent one and only one so far. So I'm fine, besides that." he added as if that made what he said no big deal.

"Heh, you're far from fine," she spoke up, crossing her arms as she scoffed at him. "This boy is crazy as they come, Mikan. He's just pretending to be sane. I'm pretty sure he's been mad since the day he was born."

"Mm, I could say the same of you. Only crazy people survive in Roanapur, after all. Let alone thrive," he retorted, giving her a good-natured smile.

"Y-You two know each other?" Mikan asked a moment later, glancing at the two of them.

"Unfortunately," Akane quipped. "We met back in Roanapur, a few years back. Ah, that's a city in Thailand. That was...back before I moved to Japan. Haven't seen Rantaro again until today, though."

"Mm. It's just like what Akane said," Rantaro confirmed, nodding his head. "And betrayal aside, I'd like to think we're still good friends."

"Ugh, this again. See what I mean? I leave this guy for dead and he somehow doesn't hold it against me," she stated, shaking her head.

"Though to be fair, I sorta did warn him I'd probably stab him in the back at some point. We were more...allies of convenience, back in Roanapur. I needed to get my money back, and he needed to get some information on his sisters. It was just...convenient to team up at the time. Speaking of which...how is Sachiko, anyway? You ever find her?" she asked.

Rantaro's face fell at that question. A bittersweet smile flashed across his face a moment later, as he glanced off to the side. "...I was too late. By the time I tracked her down, she'd already been dead for a year."

Akane felt her stomach drop at that. She closed her eyes, grimacing briefly as she clenched her fists. "Shit, man. For what it's worth, I'm sorry. You at least make those bastards pay?"

"Oh, yes. I sure did," Rantaro declared, a dark look flashing across his face. A moment later though, he settled into a more tranquil expression. "Still, I've...come to terms with it. I may have failed her, but I still managed to save Maya, Kasumi, and Gwen afterward. And I got good info on where Malia was, so it wasn't...a total loss. Things happen for a reason, especially where I'm concerned."

Akane stared at him, baffled, before shaking her head again. It was moments like this that she just...didn't _get_ Rantaro. All this awful shit happened to him, and it slid off him like water off a duck's back. What was his _deal_?

Why—

The sound of a sudden crash and a resulting loud yelp cut off any further thoughts. Akane turned to stare at Mikan, discovering that she had somehow slipped while grabbing something for Rantaro. In the process, she seemed to have latched onto his bedsheets to try and prevent her fall...but instead, she just ripped them off the bed, and got her upper torso somehow entangled in them. As a result, she laid spreadeagled on the floor, her upper body inexplicably wrapped up in bedsheets, while she flashed her panties at both of them.

"Ah! N-Nooo! Pl-please, don't stare! Ooh, now I'm never going to get married!" she bemoaned, giving soft little whimpers as she laid there. She tried to struggle against the sheets, but they remained persistent in entangling her.

"...How the hell did you even manage to do that?" Akane asked, truly befuddled. Rantaro, likewise, looked incredibly puzzled. "Are you really this clumsy?"

She sighed a moment later, taking one more chance to peek at Mikan's panties, before helping the poor girl up. She swiftly untangled her from the sheets, allowing her to breathe freely.

"I-I'm sorry about that," Mikan apologized, wiping at a tear-filled eye. "I-I don't know how, but things like that just h-happen to me s-sometimes..."

"Hey hey, it's okay. No need to apologize," Akane swiftly replied, reaching over to pat her shoulder reassuringly.

"Akane's right. It was just an accident. It's no bother, really," Rantaro added with a beaming smile.

Mikan didn't outright reply, but she did nod her head, giving them both a thankful little smile. She glanced over at Rantaro after a moment though, a look of worry showing back up on her face.

"H-He really does need to rest. A-And I need to stay by his side, in case his condition changes..." she fretted, biting at her lip a little.

Akane could see what she was getting at the girl was just too downtrodden and polite to really say it aloud. In the end, she just gave a nod and waved at them both. "Well, I ought to be going then. I'm sure the others are gonna start trickling back in soon, and I got a meal with my name on it, that never got finished. I'll see you around Rantaro, Mikan. I'll make sure to bring some more booze later, in case you need it."

With that said, Akane headed off, leaving both of them behind. She headed straight over to the restaurant, determined to finish what she'd started earlier that morning. Maybe this time, she could enjoy her meal in goddamn peace, and _not _have someone steal her clothes for the second time...

* * *

**11:09 AM, Day 1**

**Hotel Restaurant, Hotel Mirai**

They all went back to the restaurant as agreed, and it didn't take long for Teruteru to start cooking up some food. Kaede and Chihiro had gotten shanghaied into being his sou chefs for a little while—even the Ultimate Chef had needed some amount of help cooking for these many people—and while the two of them had little experience cooking, Teruteru had coaxed them through it all.

Whatever her initial thoughts on the perverted cook, he had proven to be a rather patient and admirable teacher, getting them situated doing basic prep work while he took on the lion's share of the hard work. Between the three of them, they'd managed to get the food out in record time.

After being let off on cooking duty, Kaede gratefully returned back to her table, eager to eat the fruits of her labor. The mood had settled down some by then, and everyone had broken into their own little groups as they started to get to know one another: Princess Sonia and Korekiyo had taken a table for themselves and started chatting, Hifumi had started regaling a patient Nagito with the ins and outs of the doujin industry, Ibuki had started chatting up a bemused Sayaka, and so on and so forth. Kaede herself had ended up sitting with Tsumugi and Shuichi, eating and talking about nothing in particular between bites.

"Wow, this is actually really good," Shuichi noted, after taking his first bite. "I guess they call him the Ultimate Chef for a reason."

"Y-Yeah, it's okay, I guess," Kaede more demurely agreed...even as she forcibly held herself in check, _not _wanting to overreact to the divine taste.

For just a brief moment, she wondered what it would take to make Teruteru hers. Then she came back to her senses, and immediately abandoned that idea.

The only two who didn't end up showing up from their group were Rantaro and Mikan: Rantaro was an understandable case, given he was recovering from a gunshot wound. And Mikan, meanwhile, had appointed herself his personal caretaker until he got better. She did pop in to get some food for the both of them, but other than that, those two stayed over in Rantaro's cabin.

The four people who had been selected as 'staff' showed up in due time, as well. A clearly nervous and neurotic Miu sank into a seat beside Chihiro, while Mukuro scooped out a lone table for herself, looking deep in thought. At least, that was the plan, until Yasuhiro unceremoniously sat down next to her with a sigh: much to the girl's visible annoyance.

Byakuya, meanwhile, chose to take a seat at her table, sitting beside Tsumugi and across from Shuichi. He took out a meticulous looking handkerchief and used it to dab at his forehead.

"That was a...most unnerving meeting, I must say," Byakuya grumbled, scowling a little as he settled into his seat. "This is one employer I am most certainly not looking forward to working for, but it appears I have little choice in the matter."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Kaede replied, reaching over to pat his hand. He flashed her an appreciative smile at that, before straightening up a little in his chair.

"Thank you, Mistress Kaede. I am truly grateful," Byakuya replied.

Teruteru came by a moment latter, handing him a platter of food, which Byakuya started to devour with surprising gusto. In fact, he seemed to be matching Akane in just how much he was scarfing down. It was a little startling to see, but given his...size, perhaps not so unreasonable for him. After he finished his plate, Byakuya leaned back with a satisfied smile: though it soon disappeared, as a more contemplative look flashed across his face.

Byakuya stood up a moment later, grabbing a nearby glass and spoon. He rapped the spoon against the glass, doing it for a few seconds until he had everyone's attention. Once that was done, he cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Now that most of us are assembled here, I believe it is time we had a group discussion. I understand how confused and frightened you all must be: believe me, you are not alone in that regard. But we cannot let fear or paranoia divide us! That is only what our captor would want. At such a pivotal time, we need to all stick together, and put up a united front!" Byakuya declared, thrusting a pointed hand forward dramatically.

"We need more than that, however. If we are to truly stand a chance in these dire circumstances, we will require a leader with fortitude and skill to lead us forward. If there are no other candidates here who would like to assume such a role...then perhaps I—!"

"I volunteer Kaede!" Tsumugi was quick to interject, raising her hand for her.

Everyone paused at that, Byakuya included, not quite expecting that. Kaede herself could only gape at Tsumugi for a moment before her face flushed and she quickly yanked her hand away.

"W-Wait, I don't—that is, um, Byakuya is already...or maybe Sonia..." she struggled to say. She fell silent when she noticed Sonia stand up from across the room, and for a brief moment, a glimmer of hope shone in her heart.

"I couldn't agree more! I second Kaede's nomination!" Sonia declared as that shard of hope died inside of Kaede. "I know some of you might expect a princess such as myself to try and take the reigns of power...but, well, I am not a despot looking to enforce my will upon others. Besides, I would rather be treated as a normal person! As such, I think Kaede would make a fantastic leader for our group!"

"Well, she can keep her wits about her under pressure. Not everyone can survive in Teruteru's kitchen, I can assure y'all of that," Teruteru added his own two cents in, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Of course, I also wouldn't mind serving under such a lovely, talented lady. In fact—!"

"Hmm, Ibuki's not so sure. Kaede looks like a pretty gal, but...Byakuya there really wants the job, doesn't he? Besides, his stirring speech really pulled at Ibuki's heartstrings!" Ibuki declared, giving Byakuya a cheery grin and a thumbs up.

"I would have to side with Byakuya as well. I have heard a lot about the illustrious Ultimate Butler in my travels, and what I know of him truly impresses me. If we must have a leader, I can think of no finer candidate than Byakuya Togami," Korekiyo chimed in, giving him a brief nod.

"W-Well, if Byakuya really wants it—!"

"If public support is truly behind Mistress Kaede, then I—!"

She and Byakuya spoke up at the same time, their sentences tumbling into each other. Kaede felt her face heat up further and was about to insist he continue his sentence when Shuichi spoke up beside her.

"Well...clearly, it seems most everyone is fine with Kaede or Byakuya leading us. So, why not have them both?" Shuichi innocently suggested.

A moment of silence followed, and everyone soon focused their attention on him. Shuichi looked a little nervous at having everyone stare at him, but he did his best to adjust, clearing his throat as he looked to speak again.

"I mean...who says we just have to have one leader? If anything, having two leaders...might make things more democratic, and not put such a burden on the shoulders of just one person. Kaede and Byakuya seem like very capable people...between the two of them, I'm sure they can lead us just fine."

"I couldn't agree more! Yes, that seems like a splendid idea. With Kaede and Byakuya leading us forward, I'm sure we can overcome the despair our captor seems to generate within us! As long as we Ultimates work together, there isn't anything we can't accomplish!" Nagito agreed, clasping his hands together as he smiled at Shuichi.

A general murmur filled the restaurant as everyone else spoke up, all fine with the idea of a co-leadership it seemed. Kaede herself shared a look with Byakuya, not quite certain of the idea. He too looked concerned, but after a moment he smiled and gave her a little nod.

"Very well. If that is the will of my Masters here...then I would be happy to be part of this 'co-leadership' with Mistress Kaede. Does the idea please you, too, Mistress?" he asked.

Kaede gave the matter some thought, still feeling rather...uncertain about it. This was all just so sudden! Still, it did make her feel good, knowing that everyone was willing to put such high trust into her. She couldn't let everyone down after all that, could she?

So she ended up standing alongside Byakuya, crossing her arms as she beamed at everyone. "Well, if this is what everyone wants, then I'm more than happy to help! With all of us working together like this, I'm sure we'll escape this island in no time!"

There was a general cheer at that, and despite the horrid events of the morning, this decision seemed to lift everyone's spirits. Far as she could tell, at least.

Teruteru went back to the kitchen to cook more food, while everyone else settled down, chatting happily amongst themselves.

Kaede, for her part, settled back down with Shuichi, Tsumugi, and Byakuya, ready to discuss with them their plan moving forward. Now that she had a goal to work for and people who were relying on her, she felt pumped to get stuff done!

It wasn't until later that she realized that Mukuro had slipped out of the restaurant.

* * *

**11:46 AM, Day 1**

**Hotel Grounds, Hotel Mirai**

While everyone else was busy having a 'good time' up in the restaurant, Mukuro quietly slipped out, walking down the stairs and over to the pool. She stared down at the water in thought, mulling over what Usami had told her. What was being asked of her was something she'd done all the time in Fenrir, so it wouldn't be hard to pull off. However, this was...different. This was—

She was so lost in her own thought, Mukuro didn't even sense someone approaching her from behind. In fact, she didn't realize that someone was sneaking up on her until they put a hand on her shoulder.

Her reflexes kicked in at once, and Mukuro whirled around, breaking free from her opponent's grasp and launching herself at them. She smashed against him solidly, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Mukuro positioned herself on top of them, her hand going by instinct to the knife she usually had at her side. However, she only belatedly remembered she didn't have it on her, leading her to just pressing her empty hand against her attacker's neck.

"W-Well..." Nagito wheezed, coughing slightly at the pressure she was putting on his windpipe. "G-Guess that's what I get for startling the Ultimate Soldier..."

Mukuro blinked rapidly, feeling her face flush a little as she realized her mistake. She pulled her hand away from his neck, allowing Nagito to breathe properly.

"I apologize. I...should have been more aware of my surroundings," she said, looking away a bit nervously.

She really must be out of it, if a civvie had gotten the drop on her like this! If just this one time, it was rather good that her sister wasn't actually here: if Junko was, she never would have let her hear the end of this.

"No, no, it's all on me. I should have called your name out, instead of just coming up from behind you," Nagito countered, giving a weak little laugh. "Although...we should probably get up. After all, if someone were to find us like this, well, it might give off the wrong impression."

Mukuro tilted her head at that, not quite understanding what he meant. Oh, right! The Killing Game. Yes...this didn't look that good for her, did it? It hadn't even been a full day, and here she was, apparently at someone's throat already. Yes, that wouldn't reflect well on her with the others if someone saw them like this...

"Mukuro, are you out here?"

Sure enough, someone came outside to investigate. Mukuro tensed, already preparing to get off of Nagito, but Kaede came down the stairs and looked at them before she could. As expected, Kaede froze at the sight of them, although...strangely enough, she didn't cry out, or even look all that fearful.

"Oh! Oh, um, sorry! Am I, uh, interrupting?" Kaede inquired, giving an awkward little laugh. "I'll just, uh...l-leave you two alone..."

She hurriedly ascended back up the stairs, leaving them shortly thereafter. Mukuro stared back up at her, furrowing her brow in confusion. Just what had happened here?

"Well, it seems we're too late on that front. Ah, just my luck," Nagito mused, though he didn't sound all that put out. "We'll be subject to some interesting rumors at this rate, I imagine."

Rumors...?

It was then, with a sudden flash of insight, that Mukuro realized just what it was that she was missing.

Ever so slowly, she glanced back down at Nagito and took careful note of how their bodies were positioned. She was straddling his waist, her bottom firmly resting against Nagito's groin. One hand had gone to pin his right arm against the ground, and her other hand...she had taken it off of his neck, and placed it on his chest, without even thinking about it.

Instead of assuming she was about to kill or strangle Nagito, Kaede had instead seen them as...

…

Mukuro felt her face flush hotly, and she rushed to scramble off of Nagito post-haste. All sense of training and decorum left her, as a profound sense of embarrassment overtook her!

Oh, god! She really was lucky Junko wasn't here right now. She couldn't even bear to imagine the smug, impish grin her sister would have after witnessing this!

"I do apologize for that. I can't help but feel that this is all my fault," Nagito declared, before standing up. He reached over with his robotic hand and helped pull her up when she took it.

"It's...fine. It's no big deal," Mukuro replied, though her face still felt rather warm. She briefly wondered if she still had time to chase after Kaede and try to clear up this particular misconception...

...Then again, it'd hardly be any better to tell her that she had attacked Nagito out of reflex. Still, this was utterly embarrassing!

"...What did you want, anyway? Did you have a reason for sneaking up on me?" she inquired, giving Nagito an icy glare.

"Ah, well, I suppose I just wanted to offer you some comfort, if you wanted it. I mean, you seemed very intent on finding your sister earlier, only to find out she isn't here," Nagito explained.

Mukuro blinked at that, before giving a reluctant little nod as she crossed her arms. "Indeed. It...wasn't what I had hoped for, I'll admit. Even despite these dangerous circumstances...I would have felt better knowing Junko was here, at my side. Instead, she's...god knows where she is, really. Hopefully, she's back home and safe, but...I have no idea of knowing that for sure."

"Mm, and the only way to find out for sure is to kill someone and successfully escape this island," Nagito surmised, giving her a sympathetic smile. "Quite the unenviable situation you're in, Mukuro. Although...I wonder, aren't things different for you?"

"...In what way?" she asked, regarding Nagito cautiously.

"I mean, you're part of this so-called 'Staff', yes? None of us mere students can harm you, which leaves you essentially untouchable in this Killing Game. Not that anyone would want to mess with the Ultimate Soldier, I imagine. But, there isn't anything in the rules that say _you _can't kill a student or even one of your fellow staff members. And even better, they wouldn't be able to fight back against you, lest they face certain death, as stated by the rules," he declared, a slight smirk spreading across his lips.

"I wonder, would you even be subject to a Class Trial? Or would your actions go unpunished? The rules aren't very clear in that regard. Still...you'd be in a perfect position to get away with murder. After all...no one would really suspect any of the Staff of stooping so low. Why do that, after all? If this game plays out as it should, then you should have a free ticket out of here. But of course, there are so many variables, so many possible outcomes...who knows if you'll still be alive, by the time this all ends?" he continued, taking a step closer to her.

Mukuro took a step back out of reflex, her gaze narrowed as she stared back at Nagito. He hadn't tripped her internal radar, the same way Kiyo and Toko had, but now every fiber of her body was _screaming _about Nagito and all the red flags he was tripping. Hell, even knowing that she could take him down so easily didn't assuage her concerns at all!

There was something about him, something that was just..._wrong. _And the more he talked, the more that sense of _wrongness _increased. He couldn't hurt her at all, physically speaking...but Mukuro had the sudden, stark clarity that Nagito was just as deadly with words, as she was with a knife or gun.

What the hell was up with this guy?!

"Of course, there's no way to tell really...short of asking Usami herself," he abruptly said, and just like that, that aura of menace and wrongness vanished from him. He gave her an apologetic smile as he rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, I probably got carried away there. I was just curious, and couldn't help but speculate here. Don't mind me."

With that said, Nagito turned around and headed back over to the staircase. Before he fully reached the steps though, he paused and glanced back at her. His gaze fixed Mukuro into place, as she became transfixed by the sight of utter _madness _in his eyes.

"Besides, I'm barking up the wrong tree, aren't I? Someone's already made you an offer. I can tell that much by your reaction," he proclaimed, giving her a little smile. "You were so concerned about me, you didn't even give my words a second thought."

She stiffened at that, giving a small little gasp. Before she could reply though, Nagito looked away from her and gave a small chuckle.

"Or maybe I'm just seeing things. Who can really say? At any rate, I'll leave you be now. Though I do hope you come back up here and join us. Teruteru may be an unrepentant pervert, but he makes an excellent steak."

With that said, he started to ascend back up the stairs into the restaurant with everyone else.

* * *

_Review Response_

_Crit: Thanks! Glad you liked it. Once I conceived of the idea, doing a Dark Usami was something I wasn't gonna pass up._

_Celestial: I hope the deal with Byakuya is becoming more clear with this chapter. And heh, glad to find another Hiyoko lover out there! I will admit, I do have my issues with Hiyoko, but I do like her at the end of the day. I just find something about her personality endearing. As for who dies first, we shall see! And glad you're enjoying things so far. I hope you continue to enjoy things! _

_JC: Yup, the Staff here are in a tough bind. Should be interesting to see what happens with them!_

_Trust: Was Rantaro targeted on purpose or at random? Who can say! Although of anyone she could have targeted, it is interesting she went after the Ultimate Survivor first. And as for whether or not the Staff were selected on purpose...good question!_

_Kobold: Ha! Glad you're loving it so far. And I hope I answered some of those questions this chapter!_

_Purple: That's a very good question. Perhaps we'll find out in the future!_

_Sliv: Thanks! I'll try my best!_

_Reader A: I was particularly proud of that twist._


	7. Blood Moon Rising, 1-2

_2:45 PM, Day 1_

_Hotel Mirai, 1st Island_

After everyone finished their impromptu lunch, Kaede got together with Byakuya to confer on what to do next. After a brief discussion with him, they both decided that splitting up and thoroughly searching the two islands they had access to was the best way to proceed.

There had been some indecision on how best to split everyone up until Nagito suggested the idea of drawing lots. That had solved things nicely, and from there the groups had all been chosen!

Mukuro, Miu, and Ibuki had been sent over to the airport; Sonia, Korekiyo, and Teruteru had gone over to the farm; Chihiro, Mondo, and Yasuhiro decided to go investigate the Rocketpunch market; Tsumugi, Sayaka, and Hifumi had gone over to Jabberwock Park; and Akane, Shuichi, and Toko had volunteered to check out the Administration building.

That just left her, Byakuya, and Nagito himself at the hotel, to investigate the grounds. Well, Rantaro and Mikan had been left over too, but he certainly wasn't in any condition to go about conducting a search: and with Mikan refusing to leave his side, the two of them had just been left alone in Rantaro's cabin.

At any rate, Kaede had searched the hotel itself with Byakuya and Nagito, going through the floors they had access to. They still couldn't get the elevator to work though, which just left the door to the stairs to open up. Which, well, was easier said than done.

"It's no use. The doorknob won't turn no matter how I try to turn it, and I can't force the door open either; at least, not without potentially breaking it, and risk breaking a rule," Byakuya reported, grimacing in distaste. He crossed his arms, staring at the offending door. "Unless we find a key for this door, or the elevator starts working, we cannot access the upper floors."

Well, that was a shame, but not unexpected. There wasn't much else they could do about it too, really, without breaking one of Usami's rules. After seeing what she'd done to Rantaro...well, Kaede didn't want to do _anything _to piss that white rabbit off, no matter how much she hated her.

"Well, I guess we'll have to try the other floors another time. Maybe someone will find a key somewhere, if we're lucky," Kaede suggested, giving a slight shrug. "So, I guess that just leaves the old hotel building to explore."

They nodded at that, and Kaede soon left with them to head over to the more rustic-looking building. They had already done a cursory look of the cabins and what they _could _access in the hotel, so there was only one other place for them to search.

"I must admit, not having a cabin of my own is...a tad annoying," Byakuya spoke up, as they entered the building. "I can't help but wonder if Usami chose her staff based on that fact."

"Perhaps; it's hard to say, one way or another. I don't think anyone explored the cabins all that thoroughly before meeting in Jabberwock Park, so it could have been changed after the fact," Nagito chimed in.

"Well, whatever the case, there is a farmhouse, yeah? I'm sure you and the other Staff can stay there, at least until we open up the hotel, maybe!" Kaede declared, giving Byakuya a cheery smile.

He smiled himself at that, giving her a brief nod. "You do have a point there, Mistress. At any rate, I shouldn't complain too much. As a servant, I have trained myself to adapt to all kinds of quarters I am given. I would be satisfied with just a small cot in the corner if it came to it."

"Ah, well, let's hope it doesn't come to that," Kaede said before they came across a pair of doors.

Investigating them proved one to be a simple bathroom and the other an office of some sort. The lights did come on when they flicked the switch, thankfully, allowing them to search the room thoroughly. However, there wasn't much to be found in there, and they ultimate left to continue their search.

A full search of the building didn't turn up much. Besides the bathroom and office, the old building itself consisted of a kitchen, a storage room, and a grand dining room. Had it just been that, she would have written off the venture entirely. However, she saw something grand and majestic in the corner of the dining room.

A pristine piano was settled against a wall, and while she'd seen better and newer looking pianos, right then and there it was the most beautiful thing Kaede had ever seen.

Before she knew it, she'd already taken a seat at the bench and lifted up the fold to reveal the piano's keys. At once her fingers rested against them, and she began to play.

For what felt like an eternity, Kaede was able to forget all about her worries, as she let her fingers dance across the keys of the piano. The sweet sound of music filled the air, and she was able to lose herself within the melody. An old, familiar tune soon worked its way through her initial play, and she eagerly gave herself into it, letting her body act as a conduit for the music within her.

However, she was abruptly brought back to reality by a hand firmly shaking her shoulder.

A discordant note ended the song, as Kaede jumped in surprise. She turned her head, seeing Byakuya standing by her. He had an apologetic smile on his face, as he stared down at her.

"I quite enjoy your playing, Mistress Kaede, but I'm afraid we don't have time to indulge ourselves. There's still a lot we need to do before we can sit down and relax," he pointed out.

"Yes, I must agree. That was simply beautiful! I never imagined that a piano would sound as lovely as that. Such a splendid talent you have, Kaede!" Nagito agreed, clapping his hands as his face broke out into a pleasant smile. "But, well, Byakuya has a point. There's plenty of time to play later: for now, we really do need to keep exploring."

"Ah, r-right..." Kaede agreed, turning her head away as she felt her cheeks heat up once more. She quickly stood up, and soon made her way out of the dining hall; her cheeks flushed all the while, of course.

It figured that she'd make a fool of herself in front of two cute boys. That was just her luck! Ugh, what was wrong with her?! They had more important things to worry about right now, and she'd just wasted their time! She couldn't let herself do that again...

As she recriminated herself, Kaede led the charge out of the building and out of the hotel grounds itself. Just as they were coming out though, an out of breath Mikan came running up to them.

"Th-there you are!" she exclaimed, bending over slightly as she caught her breath. "R-Rantaro says he wants to talk with you all. It, um, sounded p-pretty urgent."

"Really?" Kaede questioned, blinking in surprise. She looked over to Nagito and Byakuya for a moment, before facing Mikan again. "Well, lead the way then!"

She nodded and turned to lead them back to Rantaro's cabin. Kaede stepped in first after Mikan, her eyes immediately searching for him. She expected he'd be on the bed, but instead Rantaro was standing in front of a full-length mirror in the room, shirtless.

Her eyes widened, and her breath hitched in her throat as she caught sight of Rantaro's naked upper body. She wasn't sure what she expected from someone known as the Ultimate Survivor...but seeing his torso riddled with scars wasn't something she had ever seen coming.

Scars of all sorts crisscrossed what she could see of Rantaro's torso. They varied between stabs and slash wounds, to burn marks, and what looked to be gunshot wounds. At least, that's what she supposed the majority of the scars were. Regardless, they were all over his chest, back, and arms, reaching up all the way to the nape of his neck.

She was broken out of her horrified studying when Rantaro glanced back at them and finally addressed them. He smiled at them, and proclaimed, "Sorry to drag you all over here, but there's something I need to bring up, and sooner rather than later."

"Well, if it was to inform us of all your scars, I think you've done the job quite well. Is this a result of your talent at work?" Nagito questioned, sounding amazed, of all things. "It seems like a miracle you survived all these wounds. Perhaps your own survival rivals my luck?"

"Mm, perhaps. We may just find out soon enough. But, that wasn't why I asked you to come here. Well, not entirely. There _is _a scar I wanted to bring attention to, actually," he admitted, before turning back over to the mirror.

He used his non-injured arm to reach behind himself, and with his fingers, slowly traced the length of a stab scar that was located near his left hip.

"As the Ultimate Survivor, I'm no stranger to danger and the risks that come with it. My body is a temple to the many times death has tried and failed to take me. However, this scar here? Before today, it didn't exist. At least, I think so. I guess what I'm trying to say is: I have never seen this scar before, ever," Rantaro announced.

Kaede looked over at the scar he had traced, studying it more intently. At the same time though, she wasn't quite sure what Rantaro was getting at.

"I'm not sure I fully understand what you're implying here," Byakuya spoke up, voicing her own confusion.

"Sorry, I should explain some more. I know every scar on my body. Each and every scar has a story, a chapter of my own sordid past. But this one? I've never seen it before. I do _not _remember getting it. And if I have a scar that I don't remember getting...well, those have some interesting implications, don't they?" he asked, pausing as he turned around to face them once more.

Rantaro's face took on a dark look, his wild hair seeming to cast shadows around his eyes. "It makes me wonder just how long we've _really _been here."

* * *

_3:15 PM, Day 1_

_Airport, 1st Island_

Mukuro walked into the airport the second time that day, her eyes once more scanning the area within. Aside from the absence of an unconscious Hifumi, nothing seemed to have changed though. The lobby looked oddly pristine as before, and one lone plane could be seen just outside. The conveyor belt to the right seemed to be working still as well, though she could see no actual luggage on it.

"So this is the airport, huh? Looks boring as fuck," Miu abruptly declared, looking around the lobby with vague disinterest. "I don't see how we're supposed to find much here. I don't know what Kae-idiot and Fat-kuya were thinking, sending us out like this..."

"Ah don't be like that Miu, they just want to know about all the mysteries on this island," Ibuki explained. She twirled around before stopping to point at the plane out on the runway. "Which is lucky for them cause this whole place is jam-packed with mysteries, I bet there are even mysteries in the mysteries!"

Mukuro gave a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose slightly as she glanced back at the peanut gallery. She looked over to where Ibuki had pointed, though, and studied the plane a second time.

"I checked out the plane the first time I came to the airport. It seems in good, working condition. No way to tell if it's properly fueled though. There's no visible way to open the door on the plane, except for a keypad. And until we learn what the code is...well, it's as good as useless to us," she grumbled, glaring at it.

"What the fuck are we gonna do with a plane, anyway? I mean, do any of us even know how to fly?" Miu flippantly asked, giving a little scoff. Mukuro redirected her glare to her, which caused Miu to whimper and cower.

She sighed after a moment though, looking away as she reluctantly conceded the point. "I..._dabbled_ in flying, back in Fenrir. Not enough to get a pilot's license...but, well, I imagine it's better than anyone else here."

Ibuki ticked her head to the side as she closed her eyes. "Hmm, Ibuki understands. In that case, we are very lucky that you are one the staff Mukky, that way you can stay safe!"

"...Mukky?" Mukuro questioned, making a face as she considered that new nickname.

"Heh, I think the name suits you, 'Mukky'," Miu sniggered, giving a haughty little laugh. An abrupt glare from Mukuro sent her reeling though, as she gave a small 'eeep' in reply. "Ah! Wh-what's with the scary l-look on your face...?"

Mukuro sighed, rolling her eyes slightly at her. For all her bluster, it seemed she was all bark and no bite. "At any rate...I suppose it is lucky. Still, I don't feel as...confident in my flying abilities as I'd like."

"Oh? Well in that case maybe we only need to wait for the game to end. The escape has probably already been plotted out anyways," Ibuki said with a shrug. "That is, Ibuki is pretty sure that's how all these sorts of things work!"

Mukuro glanced over at Ibuki, surprised to hear her say something like that. "Mm, maybe. Though I think that'd end with a lot of people dead before the end. Besides, that plays into Usami's hands...and I'll be damned if I let that rabbit get any satisfaction from this."

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with Titless over here. Fuck that rabbit, and fuck this stupid piece of shit island!" Miu eagerly agreed. Though she started whimpering and squirming again when Mukuro gave her yet another glare.

"B-Besides, if we find that key-code, we're g-golden, right? Mukky here can fly us out of here!" she was quick to add, chuckling a little nervously. "I-I mean, it's not like she's crashed a plane before or anything, s-so..."

Miu trailed off, looking at Mukuro in concern when the girl in question started blushing and looked away. Mukuro tugged at her collar, clearing her throat a little before explaining herself. "It, ah, might be a good time to mention that...I've never really...successfully landed a plane, during my...brief training period with them," she mumbled out, looking decidedly ashamed.

"Gyaaah! That's like the most important part Mukky!" Ibuki shouted grabbing the side of her head.

"Oh God, please don't let that nickname catch on," Mukuro groaned, giving an aggravated sigh. "A-And it's not my fault! It was just...bad luck. The first time it was a mechanical failure, the second time the engine caught fire, the third time the control stick...broke on me...none of that was my fault!"

"Jeez! You sure you aren't the Ultimate Bad Pilot, Titless?" Miu jabbed, staring at her in disbelief. "And that last one sounds like it was totally your fault!"

"Looks like we don't have any choice then. Hmm, do you think if she tried to work on the robot they'd malfunction too?" Ibuki asked looking between the two girls.

"Heh, probably. Oi, Mukky, maybe we should try that out! I'm sure Usami wouldn't see it coming! Ahaha!" Miu laughed, hands on her hips. Only to cringe and whimper when Mukuro unexpectedly reached over and thumped her on the back of the head.

"Unless you're actually the Ultimate Pilot or something, I doubt you'd do any better," she grumbled.

"W-why do people keep doing that...?" Miu sniveled, crouching down low as she clutched her head. At Mukuro's words though, she paused. "...I don't _think_ that's my talent. Shit, my head fucking hurts whenever I try and remember...this shit is fucking annoying..."

Ibuki walked up beside the amnesiac and began patting the top of her head. "Don't worry Miu, I'm sure you'll remember soon. Maybe your talent will save us all! Or at least make things more entertaining!"

"Y-you really think so?" Miu asked, staring up at Ibuki hopefully. After a moment she looked away, giving a slight cough as she adopted a more haughty look. "I-I mean, of course, that's fucking right! Once I remember my talent, I'm sure it'll be something great! And I'm gonna use it to save all you cucks! Well, maybe if you _beg_ me to, at least!"

Mukuro, meanwhile, just sighed as she shook her head. "Why did I get stuck with you two, of all people?"

"Hee hee, because the lots knew it would be good for you to have fun for once Mukky!" Ibuki cheered as she pumped her fist into the air. "Anyways, we really didn't look around this place, huh? Should we just head back now?"

"I swear to God if that catches on..." Mukuro grimaced, crossing her arms. She took another look around though, trying to find something, anything really, that might require further investigation. Nothing really popped out at her, though. Except maybe...

"Hm. Actually, I can't help but wonder...where does the conveyor belt lead?" Mukuro pointed out, gesturing to the device. Despite there being no luggage on it, it continued to loop in on itself, feeding into two small openings in the wall. "Maybe...there could be another room here. A hidden storage room of some sort? After all, that belt has to lead somewhere, and I didn't see any openings or anything for it outside."

"Well let's stop wondering!" Ibuki mused as she started stretching. After a few moments, she broke out into a short sprint and dove onto the conveyor belt. Screaming cheerfully the whole time as she was carried off.

Mukuro stared after Ibuki, gaping at her as she let herself get taken away by the conveyor belt. "W-wait! There could be something dangerous on the other side, damn it!"

She raced after Ibuki, Miu following after her. In the end, all three of them got onto the belt.

The belt led into just what Mukuro theorized: a hidden storage area. The room was about as wide as the lobby and was stacked to the brim with tall shelving units, most of them packed full of boxes and other such storage containers and luggage. If even half of the containers in the room were full, it'd take all day to sort through it all.

"Well, I'll be damned. Looks like Mukky was right," Miu observed, looking around with wonder.

"Ha, it's just like Picasso always said, 'Fortune flavors the bald!'" Ibuki exclaimed triumphantly, placing her hands on her hips.

"Ibudiot, that isn't even remotely correct! Its fortune favors the bold!" Miu retorted, sneering over at her.

Mukuro, meanwhile, ignored them both as she stared around the room. "Well, we've found something all right. There's no telling what's all in here...assuming all these crates and boxes are full. Maybe the passcode for the keypad is here somewhere?" Mukuro suggested.

She paused though, when her eyes spotted a nearby upturned crate, its contents spilled out onto the floor. Something within it caught her eye, and she immediately dashed over to it.

"Well...aren't you a sight for sore eyes," she practically purred, as she pulled out a handgun from the crate! An eager gleam in Mukuro's eyes as she weighed the gun in her hand.

Ibuki had stuck her tongue out at Miu before turning towards Mukuro as she spoke. "Huh, what are you saying Mu- AGHHH!"

The girl began to practically froth at the mouth, before dropping to her knees.

"W-woah! She's packing heat!" Miu yelped, taking a step back from Mukuro.

She ignored them both, looking fondly at the gun as she tested its grip. "It's not my preferred kind of pistol...but I suppose this will suffice, for now."

That said, she suddenly whirled around, and pointed the gun directly at Miu! She shrieked, dropping to the ground besides Ibuki, even as Mukuro pulled the trigger.

"Bang," she deadpanned, before holding the gun up. "It's empty. There aren't any bullets in the chamber. Although there might be additional ammo in the crate...or elsewhere in the room, maybe."

Ibuki seemed to shake out of her panic as she shot up to her feet. "Wow, I wonder what else we can find in here? Let's split up and search the mystery boxes!"

Mukuro nodded at that, even as Miu shakily got up herself. With that, the three proceeded to search the room.

* * *

_3:51 PM, Day 1_

_Administration Building, Central Island_

"Toko, f-for the last time, those aren't my intentions at all! I swear!"

"Yeah, right. I know what you're really thinking, y-you perverted e-emo boy! D-Don't think I-I don't kn-know what you're r-really after!"

Akane heaved an aggravated sigh, glancing back to glare at Shuichi and Toko. The two of them had bickered the entire ride over to the central island. All it took was one offhand comment about Toko's prowess as an author, and that had set her off!

"I-I was just trying to give you a compliment! I mean, y-you're one of my favorite authors—!"

"Ha! Now I _kn-know _you're lying! No one's that sincere or h-honest! Y-You just want to sw-sweet talk me into dropping my p-p-panties, huh?!"

_Christ, _this was getting old! They hadn't even had the courtesy of stopping when they got into the Administration building. They were _supposed _to be searching this wrecked shithole for any clues, but these two chucklefucks hadn't let up on their argument at all!

"Wh-what?! No! That's not the case at all! I just...I just wanted an autograph, that's all!"

"Oh, so _now _I'm not p-pretty enough for you, huh? Tch, typical m-man! You're just like Kei was!"

"I-I don't even know who that is!"

Akane growled under her breath, tensing up as she curled a hand into a fist. She felt tempted, oh so very tempted, to knock them both over the head right now. But, well, she didn't want to mess with the boy-toy of one of the group leaders. Kaede was a bitch, but she had a lot of support at the moment; wouldn't do to get on her bad side.

"Look, Toko...of c-course you're pretty! I mean, you're, uh, a lovely young woman. I just don't—"

"So you _do _want to get under my skirt, you p-pervert! Don't p-pretend that isn't the c-case! I see the p-p-perverted l-lust hiding in your eyes!"

"Oh my god, just _fuck _already!" Akane finally thundered, fed up with it all.

That seemed to earn her some blessed silence, thank _god_. Akane glanced back at that, feeling supremely satisfied at their shocked faces.

"Yeah, that's right, I'm still here, you fuckwits. Look, are we going to search this place, or should I just watch while Shuichi bends you over, Toko? At this point, I really don't mind if it's the latter if it gets you two to shut up."

Shuichi's face flushed a bright scarlet-red, while Toko looked at her in aghast horror.

"Ugh! Wh-what a v-v-vulgar s-suggestion! Th-there's no way that is _ever_ happening! I-I'm not about to let Shuichi treat me like some cheap h-harlot!" Toko fiercely protested.

"Great, so does that mean we can actually do our jobs, and search this damn place?" Akane retorted, crossing her arms as she stared at them both. After a moment of silence, she gave a pleased nod. "Good! Let's get crackin', then."

Their argument sufficiently derailed, Toko and Shuichi could only nod at that, and finally pitched into searching the Administration Building.

Though to be honest, it was a task easier said than done. Unlike every other place they'd come across so far, the Admin Building was an absolute wreck. Some serious shit must have gone down here, as there were bullet holes, scorch marks, torn furniture, shredded paper, and all sorts of other signs that a significant fight had gone down here.

Which made searching the place all the harder. If there were any valuable clues here, they were either destroyed or mixed in with all this debris and shit. They'd need to search with more than three people to make any significant headway if that were the case. Not to mention how many different doors and pathways there were in the damn building...

Eventually, they reconvened after searching the floor thoroughly. About the only room that wasn't turned over with Usami's office...and for good reason, all three of them avoided that area of the building like the plague.

"I got jack shit. You?" Akane inquired, grumbling in distaste as she dropped a partially torn folder.

"Sorry, haven't found anything yet." Shuichi dutifully reported.

"I, uh, m-might have found s-something," Toko admitted, looking somewhat pleased with herself. "I f-found a door that seems to l-lead to a b-basement or something. I-It's pretty d-d-dark down there though, so I...d-didn't go down to investigate..."

She grimaced at that for some reason, but Akane didn't really care about that. Instead, she found herself rather intrigued. "A basement, eh? Sounds like a place to hide all sorts of dirty secrets."

"Well, I guess there's only one way to find out. We'd better search it," Shuichi declared.

Toko rather reluctantly led them over to the door she'd found, which sure enough revealed a set of stairs that went downward. It was dark as fuck though, so Akane couldn't tell at all just how deep it went.

"Our pads have a flashlight app on them, so that should help us see in the dark. Though hopefully, we'll find a light switch somewhere down there," Shuichi said, before getting out his pad. Akane followed suit, fiddling with it for a moment before she figured out how to turn on the flashlight function.

"D-Do I really have to go down th-there? I m-mean, you t-two could search it pretty w-well without me..." Toko stuttered, grimacing again as she peered down into the dark abyss of the basement.

Akane rolled her eyes, sending a glare over at the other girl. "Hey, stop being such a crybaby. We're all going down there, and you're gonna like it."

Toko glared at her in turn, grumbling under her breath, but she got out her own pad after a moment, begrudgingly turning on the flashlight.

That done, the three of them soon headed down the stairs, Akane taking the lead. It didn't take long to reach the basement floor, and while they searched for a light switch, none was readily in sight. Thus they had to make do with their admittedly weak flashlights, as they searched the area.

As they looked around, Akane slowly got a good feel of the layout of the basement. It seemed to be a storage area of some sort, the place littered with boxes, containers, filing cabinets, and all sorts of other junk. More than a few odds and ends littered the floor too: a wrench there, an oil-soaked rag there, an empty bottle of pills there. Whoever had been here last certainly hadn't bothered to pick up after themselves.

"So...who's Kei?" Shuichi asked after a moment, breaking the silence that had descended upon them.

"Huh?" Toko regarded him with a confused look; seeing that, he quickly elaborated.

"Earlier...you mentioned someone named Kei. I guess, uh, I was just curious about that. But uh, you d-don't have to answer if you really don't want to..." he explained.

Toko remained silent for a moment, before speaking back up. "N-No, it's fine, I guess. Kei Niijima was...a boy I liked back in middle school. I uh, th-thought he liked me, too. I mean...we hung around each other all the time. Or...so I thought. In reality, he h-hated me, and c-couldn't stand to be around me. He r-rejected me when I confessed t-to him. Tch, I guess I wasn't g-good enough for that bastard. But he moved away not long after that, s-so...it d-didn't really matter in the end."

"Kei Niijima, huh?" Shuichi mused, sounding a bit distracted by the name, for some reason. "Well, I'm...sorry to hear that Toko. That was awfully cruel of him, to dismiss you like that. I mean, I don't know you all that well, but...I'm sure you're a nice, pleasant young girl. He just couldn't see that."

Toko made a weird little noise at that, but otherwise didn't reply, perhaps grateful for the comment. Or maybe she was still suspected that Shuichi wanted to get into her panties; quite frankly, Akane didn't care either way.

Their search continued on for another few minutes, as they slowly navigated their way through the basement area. When they finally made their big discovery, it was Toko who found it first.

She gave a sudden, shrill shriek, and promptly fainted, collapsing to the ground. Shuichi and Akane rushed to her side immediately: finding out just what it was that had frightened her into unconsciousness.

Tucked in between two filing cabinets was a little girl in a wheelchair. She had short green hair and green eyes, and a red ribbon tied in her hair. She had on a knee-length black dress, black knee-high socks, and white shoes. What really caught Akane's attention, though, was the absolute ghoulish smile on the young girl's face. It was a smile unlike anything she'd ever seen, that spoke of madness, death, and despair.

But then she blinked, and when Akane did a double-take, the vile smile was gone, replaced by a more innocent visage. She rubbed at her eyes, double-checking that she wasn't seeing things, but sure enough, the little girl was still there, and her smile remained unchanged.

"Oh, hello there!" she declared, beaming at them brightly. "Monaca thinks it's very nice to meet you both!"

"...Hi," Akane replied at length, giving the little girl an odd stare. She shared a look with Shuichi, and he seemed just as flummoxed about her presence.

"Hi there...Monaca, was it?" Shuichi asked, to which the girl nodded. "Um, what exactly are you doing here? I...wasn't aware anyone was down here at all."

"That's a very good question! Unfortunately, Monaca doesn't have the answer to that," she declared, giving an admittedly cute little pout. "Monaca just woke up here not long ago, all in the dark! She had no idea what was going on! But now, you two are here, and it's not so lonely anymore! Hooray!"

Akane stared at the girl some more, not quite sure what to make of all this. Considering she'd thought everyone had been accounted for...well, it was startling to find someone new, let alone a little girl. Still, she couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the kid.

"You woke up here all alone, huh? That must have been really scary. Don't worry though, we'll get you out of here!" Akane declared, crouching down to get level with the girl. She gave her a reassuring smile, reaching over to pat her head.

That said, she took a step back, eyeing Monaca's wheelchair before nodding to herself. "All right, I'll carry Monaca and her chair upstairs. Shuichi, you can carry Toko's lame ass up yourself."

"Huh? Wh-why me?" he sputtered out, looking rather surprised.

"'Cause I can't carry Monaca, her wheelchair, _and _Toko at the same time. You're gonna have to pick up the slack. Unless you wanna carry Monaca instead?" she inquired, glancing back at him. Shuichi at least had the credit to look a little embarrassed as he shook his head, and bent down to pick up Toko.

"All right then, Monaca! Let's get you out of here!" Akane declared, to which the girl gave an enthusiastic cheer.

* * *

_4:34 PM, Day 1_

_Hotel Mirai, 1st Island_

By the time everyone regrouped in the restaurant, quite a few unexpected revelations were made: but perhaps the most pressing of them was the sudden appearance of this new girl, Monaca Towa, as she'd introduced herself. Kaede could hardly _believe _that a little girl, of all people, was now stuck in this Killing Game with them: but then came another surprise, on top of that.

"Big Brother! You're here!" Monaca suddenly cheered, catching them all off guard. At the same time, Rantaro and Mikan had just walked inside to join them. And the moment Rantaro heard her, and laid eyes on her...

"Monaca?" he spoke aloud, staring in blatant disbelief at the little girl. "You're here too?"

"Monaca is, Big Brother Rantaro!" she affirmed, nodding her head. She wheeled over to him until she was close enough to reach over and hug his waist. "Monaca is unbelievably happy to see you! Monaca had no idea you were here too in this weird place, but she's glad you're here!"

Rantaro blinked rapidly, still bewildered by the sight of his little sister. Kaede, meanwhile, took a moment to study them both...and kicked herself, wondering how she hadn't seen this coming in the first place.

Green eyes, green hair, they even looked startlingly similar. They were obviously related in some way, for sure. Besides, hadn't she heard Rantaro mention something about having some little sisters or something like that?

"Damn, she's your sister? Huh, can't believe I didn't see it. I mean, the resemblance is rather uncanny," Akane voiced, unintentionally echoing her own thoughts.

"Ah, yes, she is. Sorry, I'm just a bit...overwhelmed by this," Rantaro confessed, reaching down to hug Monaca back with his good arm. He cleared his throat after a moment and looked back at everyone at large. "Right, well, everyone: this is my little sister, Monaca Towa. We don't share the same last name, I know...but that's mainly because I use my mother's maiden name. My father...disowned me some time ago, so I chose to use the family name of my mother, instead of his own."

"Yup yup! Monaca's father is a big ol' meanie, who hates Big Brother, so Big Brother decided to go out on his own, and took Monaca with him!" she confirmed, finally letting him go as she turned herself around. "Monaca's also the Ultimate Roboticist! Monaca is a child prodigy, or at least that's what Big Brother says. Monaca got her letter from Hope's Peak the same time as Big Brother did! Big Brother and Monaca were leaving to attend their first day of school together! But, Monaca doesn't remember much more after that..."

She gave a frustrated little pout at that, tapping her chin in thought as she tried, and failed, to recall any further memories.

"Another Ultimate, huh? I guess that makes sense..." Shuichi murmured, looking rather pensive as he stared at Monaca. "Still, to think Usami would even bring a child into this..."

Kaede nodded her head at that, feeling rather ill at ease herself. It was one thing to have a bunch of teenagers caught up in all of this; but to get a child involved, too? Not to mention that Monaca was stuck in that wheelchair! This was just sick! Then again, Usami seemed capable of doing anything, no matter how awful it might be.

"Well...now that we've all been introduced to Mistress Monaca...perhaps we should move on? There are other matters we need to discuss," Byakuya pointed out.

That seemed reasonable enough, and soon even settled down to properly go over their findings. It didn't take all that long to address the _other _elephant in the room, though.

"I cannot help but feel worried over the...arms that Mistress Mukuro discovered during her group's search," Byakuya proclaimed, glancing over uneasily at her.

Mukuro sat at the far end of the room, her eyes closed and her chair leaning backwards, seemingly disinterested in what Byakuya said. The tables and chairs nearest to her were devoid of people: practically everyone here had given her a wide berth the moment she had walked into the restaurant.

"Yeah, I gotta agree with Byakuya. I uh...think we all feel a little bit intimidated by Mukuro's findings," Kaede agreed, doing her best to mask her own discomfort. A task easier said than done, given the equipment Mukuro was now sporting.

Her group had found many things in the hidden storage area in the airport, and it wasn't limited to the handgun they had initially discovered. In fact, between everything they had found in that storage area, Mukuro was now outfitted to commit her own personal war.

She had on a camo-colored tactical vest, with all sorts of little pockets and pouches stitched into the fabric. At her side was a gun holster which now housed her pistol, and at the other, she had a small pouch with the handle of a knife sticking out. Meanwhile, she carried an AK-47, or some variant thereof, in her hands. Finally, holstered on her back was what seemed to be a sniper rifle, and a _rocket launcher _(?!) of all things, as well.

"Would you rather someone inexperienced be handling all this weaponry?" Mukuro countered after a moment, opening one eye lazily as she glared over at them.

"Ah, no, not really, but...well, it uh, feels intimidating to see you...walk about with all that...gear. Couldn't you, um, maybe tone it down a little?" Kaede asked, feeling a tiny bit of sweat drop down her brow.

"Hn. I'll consider it. Besides...if it makes you feel any better, there wasn't any actual ammo for any of this in the storage area," Mukuro admitted after a moment, sounding rather frustrated.

"W-wait, really? Oh, well, that _is _a relief—!" Kaede began before Mukuro interrupted her.

"Well, that's not entirely true. There _was _some ammo for the assault rifle, thankfully, but it's not much. I've only got a single clip's worth of ammunition for that. I may as _well _not have any ammo for it, for the good it'll do me," she declared, sounding rather despondent at that.

Kaede managed to keep a bright if frayed smile on her face. On the inside though, she couldn't help but scream.

"R-Right. Be that as it may..." Byakuya spoke up afterward, clearing his throat. "Were there any other...significant findings?"

"Nothing major to report," Mukuro conceded, shaking her head. "Granted, we didn't have a lot of time to go through all the boxes and crates. There was a great deal of them. Besides the weapons, we found some clothes, toiletries, and other such items. Nothing too uncommon from what you'd find in someone's luggage."

Well, that was both a relief and disappointing. Kaede was glad that, for now at least, no other weapons or ammunition for them had been found...but at the same time, it was disappointing they hadn't found any clues or hints about the keypad on the plane. If any such clues existed, one would think it'd be in the airport itself.

The others spoke up after that, most of them saying they hadn't found much more of note, or any important when they did find something. The thing that most stood out was the report on the farmhouse. A more thorough examination of it had revealed it to be two stories, with five bedrooms total in the house, and a working bathroom. There was also a cellar it seemed, that they'd found in the back of the house. But aside from some booze, there hadn't been much to see down there.

For her own part, Kaede kept quiet about the disturbing observation Rantaro had made. It had been a difficult decision, but she, Byakuya, and Nagito all agreed to keep that quiet for now. After all, until there was conclusive proof, there wasn't any need to make anyone worry, or more so than they already were.

"So it seems like finding Monaca was the biggest discovery we've made so far," Kaede summarized, crossing her arms as she frowned a little. This definitely could have gone a lot better, but it was a start. If nothing else, at least they rescued poor little Monaca from that dark, creepy basement!

"Looks like it. Though I'm rather grateful for that discovery," Rantaro openly voiced with a gentle smile on his face.

He used his good arm to hold Monaca close to him, the little girl now out of her wheelchair and sitting on her brother's lap. Monaca herself seemed quite pleased with the arrangement, her face half buried in his chest as she clung to him.

"Hey, that reminds me. Why was she even down there, anyway? I mean, her eyes should have adjusted to the dark eventually, yeah? Why didn't she just walk over to the stairs and out of the basement?" Yasuhiro asked, scratching his chin in confusion.

Before anyone could think of a reply to that boneheaded question, Rantaro slowly turned his head to face him. A serene smile on his face, he proclaimed, "Ah, sweet, _stupid_ little Yasuhiro. Yes, I'm sure my sister would have had an easy time climbing up the stairs in her _wheelchair. _Yes, very easy indeed. I'm honestly surprised she didn't think of it before."

"O-Oh, right, sorry," Yasuhiro mumbled in reply, paling rapidly as he shrank back in his seat.

"Yasuhiro isn't very bright, huh Big Brother?" Monaca cheerily stated, giving a little giggle.

"No, no he's not, sweetie," Rantaro easily agreed, chuckling himself.

A moment of awkward silence passed after that. When Kaede couldn't take it any longer, she cleared her throat and spoke up.

"R-right, anyway, moving on! We next to discuss our next plan of action. Maybe—!"

"_Oh, oh, I have a suggestion! Maybe you should all start _killing _each other! Huh? How's that sound?"_

Kaede jumped, reeling backward as Usami appeared out of nowhere, landing right in front of her. Her chair almost fell backward onto the floor, but Byakuya managed to catch her in time, keeping her stable.

"As if we'd listen to anything _you _have to say," Byakuya proclaimed, staring dismissively at the rabbit. "What are you even doing here, anyway?"

"_Aww, can't I just check on my students' wellbeing? I mean, I am responsible for you all! I gotta check up on you guys once in a while so I'm here when someone finally croaks and dies!" _Usami replied, giving a malicious little chuckle.

Kaede frowned, her hand tightening up into a fist. She wasn't one for violence, but she still felt the strong urge to deck the stupid rabbit. She held herself back though, not wanting to do anything to incur Usami's wrath.

"Look, I don't care what you _want_ us to do! It's not gonna happen! We may not know each other very well, but we're not about to murder each other! We aren't gonna give into your insane desires anytime soon!" Kaede forcefully stated, giving Usami a measured glare.

She didn't back down at all, though: in fact, the white rabbit tilted her head in curiosity, clearly intrigued by her statement. "_Is that so, huh? Well then...why don't we make a little bet, eh, Kay-day?"_

"Huh?" Kaede replied, rather taken aback.

"_Yes, a bet! I think that will work very well here! Fufufufu," _Usami cackled to herself, bringing her paws up to her mouth. "_I think that will help you realize the full _futility _of your situation. Normally, this is the part where I think up some motive, to get you all to turn on each other and spread some kills, chills, and thrills! Buuuut...I wanna do things a bit differently. After all, why shouldn't I start the Second Annual Killing Game with something _special_!_

"_So, here's the deal, sweetcheeks: I'm not gonna give you any motive. I'm not giving you any special incentive or goal to prod you to commit murder. Ohoho, no, it won't be that _easy."

Usami leaned in close to her, her beady, black eyes staring into the depths of her soul. Kaede, for her part, managed to stand her ground, though she still felt a nervous sheen of sweat run down her brow.

"_I give you all four days, tops. It'll take ninety-six hours or less, before someone here commits a murder, __**without me lifting a finger to make it happen. **__That's right! I'm willing to bet that, without any interference from me...some poor schmuck is gonna get killed. No motives, no incentives, nothing from me that would tip the scales either way. __**Someone will commit a murder here within four days, and it'll be completely unrelated to me whatsoever!**_ _How's that for a bet, eh, Piano Freak?"_

Usami leaned back, cackling madly as she made her bold declaration. Her laugh radiating with malicious intent.

"_So that's the deal: Make it that long without committing a murder, and I'll let you all go, scot free. No Killing Game, no trials, no fuss, no muss. Just go four days without a single murder, and you all get to go home! Of course...there's no _way _you're gonna make that deadline. After all, your failure is __**inevitable**__."_

With one last laugh, Usami scampered off, leaving them all to deal with the ramifications of her 'bet'.

* * *

**21 Students Remain**

* * *

_Review Responses: _

_Crit: Haha, glad you're liking it! And yup, Usami is utterly ruthless and merciless. She ain't afraid of crushing the wills of anyone who dares to oppose her. _

_Kobold: Heh, I had a lot of fun coming up with that idea. I've got plenty of plans in store for Miu, and it should be interesting to see where it all goes. _

_JC: Oh, you better bet Nagito was eager to pounce on Mukuro; in a non-sexual way, that is. The Ultimate Soldier would make for a good partner in crime, and he already knows that Mukuro has a good reason to want to escape the island. Unfortunately, it seems someone else has already approached her with an offer..._

_D-Kirb: It is going to be something of a struggle to keep everyone united, with all these dynamic personalities and conflicting interests involved. But I'm sure it'll all work out! And Miu's gonna be in for an _interesting _time, I'll say that much. _

_Reader: That's like asking Nagito to have any sense of self-worth. It ain't gonna happen. xD_

_Anon: Regardless of what happens, Nagito was always destined to go off, as it were. He's a time-bomb waiting to happen! Makes it interesting to consider what his plan here might be, too..._

_Trust: Glad you're taking a liking to Rantaro! I've really enjoyed writing this version of his character. I was always disappointed with how V3 treated his character, so I'm happy to build up on him for this continuity. _

_Guest: It's doubtful I'll have any full-fledged lemons in this fic. It's not completely impossible, I'll say, but it remains unlikely for right now. I won't shy away from showing any sexy scenes though, or risque stuff in general. So there is that!_


	8. Blood Moon Rising, 1-3

**Warning: There is graphic sexual content toward the end of this chapter. You will know it when you see it. Reader discretion is advised. **

* * *

_5:56 PM, Day 1_

_Hotel Mirai Restaurant,_

_1st Island_

After Usami's bold declaration, the group meeting hadn't lasted much longer. Byakuya had held them back long enough to sort out that the 'staff' would end up staying over in the farmhouse, and that had been it. Even though Kaede herself felt a quiet sort of optimism in the face of Usami's bet, the mood hadn't been right to really discuss that in depth.

Thus everyone ended up going their separate ways. Shuichi had gone over to check up on Toko, who had still been unconscious by the time his group had gotten back from the central island. Tsumugi, meanwhile, had been dragged away by Sonia, who had seemed quite interested in the girl's talent. That just left Kaede alone in the restaurant, gathering her thoughts together in the peace and quiet left in the room.

"A penny for your thoughts, Kaede?"

Or maybe not so alone.

She jumped, looking up with a startled expression. Korekiyo had come back it seemed, having taken a seat at her table now. The mysterious boy examined her coolly, his yellow eyes studying her quite intently it seemed. She felt perhaps a bit...uncomfortable with his gaze, but tried to push past it.

He was the Ultimate Anthropologist, wasn't he? Didn't they observe people and stuff like that? It was only natural, really. Still, it didn't help that he looked like...well, like a secret serial killer stalking his prey.

It really wasn't her fault he looked so _creepy_!

"Ah, Korekiyo. What are you doing here?" she asked, putting on a friendly smile for him.

"Well, everyone else is quite busy, at the moment. I thought I'd come back and check up on you, if that is all right. You looked quite troubled when the meeting came to an end," he replied, looking at her with apparent concern.

"Oh, that, well..." Kaede trailed off, looking over to the side uncomfortably. "I...have a bad feeling, I guess? It's just...something I can't shake off. I mean, we're all gonna go home in four days now...and I know I should feel excited about that. I mean, it's not like anyone is _that _homicidal enough to do something stupid, right? It's just..."

Kaede trailed off, pursing her lips as she played over that encounter with Usami over and over again in her mind. Something about it...hadn't seemed right. Something had seemed off, even. But what? She couldn't put her finger on it, and it was driving her crazy. She'd been trying to think it over since the meeting ended, but nothing had come to mind.

"You doubt the words of our captor?" Korekiyo guessed. "It would be only reasonable to do so, honestly. Given all the troubles our captor must have gone through to gather us all here, I myself am doubtful about us being let go after four days. Though I cannot say why Usami gave such a deadline, unless she was supremely confident that someone would act impulsively within our group."

That was a good point too, Kaede had to admit, though it wasn't what bothered her. Still, she tried not to worry about that, given how she hadn't figured out what even _was_ bothering her. No sense in dwelling on it any longer than necessary.

"Yeah...it's something like that, I guess. I mean, I really do wanna be hopeful, but...you do have a point. Part of me _does _doubt how truthful Usami is being with us. Still...we gotta hope for the best, yeah? At least, that's what Keiko always told me," she replied, a more genuine smile coming onto her face.

"Mm, there is nothing wrong with hoping for such an outcome. However, there is a saying I myself like to adhere to: hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. In the eventuality that someone does commit a heinous act, or that Usami is lying to us, we'd best prepare. She may well be planning out this entire gambit just to crush our spirits, at the end," Korekiyo proclaimed.

That...was also a good point that she hadn't considered, really. It was a valid enough thought: maybe she should talk with Shuichi or Byakuya about this, later. In the event Usami _was_ lying, it'd be a good idea to lay the groundwork to shore up everyone's spirits. She couldn't let that damn rabbit get the best of them!

"That's a good point, Kiyo. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!" she said, flashing him a grateful smile.

"Of course, Kaede. It is my pleasure. I only wish to assist the group best as I can. Through my studies, I have researched the various ways in which a societal group can break down...so heading off any such threats would be a wise path to take," he stated, giving her a slight nod.

After a moment though, he looked at her curiously, and asked, "Who is Keiko?"

"Huh? Oh! Right, sorry. Keiko's my sister. My twin sister, in fact," Kaede elaborated. She paused, a rather wistful look coming across her face. "She's not here, of course. That's probably for the best, but...I can't help but worry about her, you know? We've always been there for each other, and it's hard not having her around."

"Ah, I can sympathize with that myself. I, too, have a sister," Korekiyo revealed, his eyes lighting up a little. "Haniko is her name. We're quite close as well. While I also am glad she isn't here to suffer in this nightmare, I do miss her...and find myself concerned. Especially since she is...sick."

He paused at that, his eyes dimming as he recalled some painful memories.

"Sick? With what?" she couldn't help but ask.

Korekiyo remained silent for a moment, before giving a weary sigh. He placed his hands on the table, drumming them softly against the surface of the table. "She has breast cancer, I am afraid. It's not as bad as it could be though, and the doctors are quite hopeful about her condition. Between her treatments and her medicine, she's able to live a somewhat normal life. Still, I find myself very much concerned with Haniko. I can only pray that she remains in good health, while I am stuck here."

"Oh, Kiyo..." Kaede's face softened at that, her tone filled with palpable concern. She reached over to him after a moment, softly enclosing her hand with one of his own. "I'm so sorry."

Korekiyo looked surprised at the contact, but didn't seem to mind it. In fact, he moved his other hand on top of hers, gently squeezing it in appreciation. "Thank you, Kaede. I do appreciate your sympathy. I won't lie: it's been a hard year for my sister and I. Still, I am hopeful that she will recover, in the end. She's a strong woman, and I am confident she can fight off this vile disease."

"That's the spirit! I'm sure she will!" Kaede readily agreed, beaming at him. "You know, when we do get out of here...I'd love to meet your sister in person. She sounds like someone I'd love to be friends with."

He chuckled at that, his eyes staring at her with genuine warmth. "Thank you, Kaede. I'm sure my sister would love to meet you too."

* * *

_6:04 PM, Day 1_

_Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

Akane followed Rantaro, Mikan, and Monaca out once the meeting wrapped up, carrying Monaca's wheelchair down the stairs as they left the restaurant. Once they were back on solid ground, Rantaro carefully laid his sister back on her chair, and started wheeling her forward as they walked.

"Hm, the resemblance really _is_ uncanny," Akane mused, glancing down at the cheerful little girl. "Gotta admit, though, I didn't expect we'd find your little sister here. Makes me wonder if there's anyone else here, maybe on the other islands."

"It's a possibility, I'll say. Certainly something to keep an eye out for whenever those other islands open up...if we're here that long, that is," Rantaro said, giving a light shrug. "And yes...happy as I am to see you, Monaca, the last thing I expected was to find you here. I don't suppose you remember much, do you? Before you got here?"

Monaca tapped her chin thoughtfully, humming to herself as she tried to remember. "Sorry, Monaca don't remember a lot, Big Brother. The last thing Monaca recalls for sure is going to Hopes Peak Academy with you for our first day! But, besides that, Monaca can't remember much else. Monaca doesn't know how she got here, and that's super frustrating!"

Rantaro nodded at that, and reached down with his good hand to pat his sister's head reassuringly. "That's fine, Monaca. Maybe we'll remember later. For now though...we really do need to figure out your living situation..."

Monaca stilled at that, and glanced at him with a concerned look. "Huh? Isn't Monaca staying with Big Brother?"

"I'd like to say yes, but..." he grimaced, and gestured to his injured arm. "Until my arm fully heals, my ability to take care of you is severely hampered. And if Mikan is going to be tending to me, that means she'll be in my cabin a lot...and, well, I don't want to make it too crowded in there. Three people, plus your wheelchair, doesn't sound like it'll work out."

Her cheeks puffed out in a pout, and tears started gathering at her eyes. Suddenly she started flailing about, crying out, "MONACA! WANTS! TO! STAY! WITH! BIG! BROTHER! SHE! DOESN'T! WANT! TO! STAY! WITH! ANYONE! ELSE!"

Akane glanced at her, surprised by the sudden outburst, but it seemed Rantaro had anticipated it. He merely sighed, and reached down to ruffle her head with his hand.

"Come now, Monaca. This is for your own good. Believe me, if I were in tip-top condition, I'd love nothing more than to let you stay with me in my cottage. But with my arm fucked up right now...that just isn't a viable option. I know you don't like it: neither do I. But you _have _to stay with someone else. That's final."

Monaca paused in her flailing, and gave another—admittedly adorable—pout. After a moment though she deflated, and sank back into her chair. "Monaca hates to admit it, but...Big Brother has a point. But, if Monaca can't stay with Big Brother, then Monaca gets to choose who she stays with! And Big Brother better hang out with Monaca all the time to make up for this!"

He chuckled, smiling gently at her. "That sounds like a good deal to me, Monaca. Well...who do you want to stay with, then? Any preferences?"

"Oh, I could take her in!" Mikan interjected, perking up. "It's the l-least I could do, to take care of your sister!"

"I appreciate the thought Mikan, but...well, you'll be spending a lot of time taking care of me, won't you?" Rantaro pointed out. "I don't want to overburden you."

"R-Really, it's no trouble at all!" Mikan assured, though she looked uncertain a few seconds later. "Although...i-it would be difficult looking after two people at the same time...I-I could do it, but I'm afraid your care might s-suffer for it..."

Akane looked at Monaca considerately, silently wondering if she should volunteer herself. She had plenty of experience taking care of young kids, after all, and Rantaro knew her well enough that he might actually trust her with his kid sister.

But did she _want _to look after her? That was the question here. After all, it wasn't like Monaca was one of her own siblings, so she had no obligation to house her. Besides, there was something..._odd_ about Monaca, that she couldn't quite place. Maybe it was nothing, but it made her hesitant to take responsibility for the girl, all the same.

In the end, however, Monaca beat her to the punch and made her choice.

"Monaca wants to stay with Big Sis Mukky and Big Brother Byakuya!" she happily declared.

Rantaro raised an eyebrow at that, intrigued. Akane herself couldn't help but admit she was likewise bemused by the unorthodox choice.

"Why's that?" he asked.

"Well, Big Sis Mukky looked really strong, and really cool! Plus, she's also a girl, so Monaca would feel comfortable staying with her," Monaca elaborated. "And Big Brother Byakuya looks real nice and responsible! Between the two of them, Monaca is sure she'll be safe and well cared for!"

Akane considered that, glancing at Monaca anew. At the same time, Rantaro smiled and gave a slight chuckle.

"So I see. Yes, I suppose that could work; Byakuya would be able to take care of you in the mornings and nights: he _is _the Ultimate Butler, so I'm sure he has experience in taking care of the physically disabled. And Mukuro is probably the strongest person on the island, and would make for an able bodyguard. Plus, the two of them are members of the Staff...and they wouldn't have any reason to harm you. Not to mention, the farmhouse is some distance away from the hotel, giving you a further barrier of protection," he summarized, closing his eyes thoughtfully.

Monaca only gave an innocent little giggle in response, though the cunning gleam in her eyes showed something different entirely.

Hot damn, this girl was something else! That was all Akane could think, after what Rantaro said. She might be a kid, but Monaca seemed far more intelligent than she gave her credit for. Then again...hadn't she said she was the Ultimate Roboticist? Akane hadn't given much thought to it at the time, but if that was true, then there was more to Monaca Towa than she initially thought.

Hm, was that it? This odd feeling she had about the girl...was it due to her intelligence? Possibly, though Akane had the feeling it wasn't quite that. There was something else to it...something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Well, I'm fine with you staying with Byakuya and Mukuro...just, ah, make sure to keep your distance from Miu and _especially _Yasuhiro," Rantaro went on, grimacing slightly.

"Heh, think they might be a poor influence on sweet, innocent little Monaca?" Akane jeered with a smirk.

"...Something along those lines, I suppose," Rantaro admitted, rubbing the back of his neck with a contrite smile. "I _am _still her big brother, after all. Still, if I put the fear of God into Yasuhiro some more, I'm sure he'll steer clear away from Monaca. Miu though..."

"Aww, don't scare them away, Big Brother!" Monaca insisted with a pout. "You always try and scare interesting new friends away from Monaca! It's not fair!"

"I only look out for your best interests, Monaca," he replied. "Besides, you have some..._unique _definitions of 'friend'. I mean, 'befriending' that drug cartel in Mexico wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I wanted you to make some friends with the locals."

"But regular kids are boring! Monaca finds that adults are much more interesting friends. They can actually keep up with Monaca!" she insisted, her lips curving into a frown. A moment later though she fully smiled, adding, "Besides, Monaca found it _super _funny when Don Eladio broke down in tears!"

Akane just _stared_ at the two of them, not entirely sure if they were being serious. Before she could question them though, Rantaro glanced over at her.

"Akane, think you could track down Mukuro and inform her about these arrangements? We'll go find Byakuya," he said.

Akane blinked, but gave a shrug a moment later. "Yeah, sure, I'm fine with that. I'll go tell her."

That said, she departed from the group, heading out to go track down that black-haired, freckled bitch. At the same time, she decided to take her mind off of Monaca, and instead focus on something else:

_Revenge._

Ideas started to swirl in her head, and Akane began to smile.

Mukuro had surprised her the first time: damn near ambushed her and taken her out with dirty tricks! Next time, however, she wouldn't be so lucky! For the next time they fought, Akane was determined to put Mukuro in her goddamn place!

* * *

_6:35 PM, Day 1_

_Rocketpunch Market_

_1st Island_

With the group meeting dispersed, Mukuro had gone over to the farm house to claim a room for herself, as well as stow away most of her weaponry for the time being. When she was done with that, she made her way over to the market, feeling somewhat peckish for a snack. She had no trouble getting in and finding some sweets to tide her over for the night. Before she could leave though, one Sayaka Maizono walked into the store as well.

"Oh, hello Mukuro! I wasn't expecting to run into you here. Let me guess, you got hungry as well?" the idol asked, noticing the sweets the girl was holding.

Mukuro glanced at Sayaka, briefly wondering if she could just pretend she hadn't heard her and just leave. Her better judgement stopped her from doing that though, as she instead nodded. "Yes. I thought I might grab a few snacks before retiring to my room in the farm house."

"I see. Well, I'm stocking up myself. I'd rather not leave my room in the middle of the night if I can help it," she replied, walking toward the nearby chips. "Do you have any recommendations on chips? There's too many flavors to pick from." she added, holding back a giggle.

"Pringle's," was Mukuro's immediate reply. She paused a moment later though, clearing her throat as she blushed slightly. "That is, it is the type of chips that I'd recommend. They're a superior quality of chips, in my opinion. Classic is good, but I'm also a fan of barbecue flavor."

"Really? I'm a classic girl myself. I've never tried the barbecue ones. I'll give them a whirl." she said, grabbing a can of the aforementioned chips. The blue haired beauty turned to face Mukuro, a small frown on her face. "Are you worried? About what might happen here, I mean?"

Mukuro tilted her head, considering her words before giving a careful reply. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried. A crazed rabbit wants to make us murder each other, and I have a bomb strapped to my neck. I imagine the best we can do is to keep our heads down, and run out the clock with Usami. If she keeps her word, we'll all be free in four days."

"Yeah, you're right. You have it harder than the rest of us. While we have to worry about being killed, you gotta worry about your head not being blown off," she said, rubbing her arm. "I'm certain we'll make it. It's just four days after all. We'll be off these islands in no time!"

"Indeed. I'll be glad to get away from this wretched place: I need to find my sister Junko. Hopefully, she's still back home in Japan," Mukuro replied. Though if she were being honest with herself, she had her doubts that Usami would keep her word.

At any rate, there was a sudden crack of thunder from outside, and the power flickered out, bathing the room in darkness. It kicked back on just a second later though, much to Mukuro's relief.

"Ah, you two are shopping for snacks as well? Excellent! It seems great minds think alike!" Sonia Nevermind enthused, suddenly appearing behind Mukuro.

Mukuro did _not_ scream, nor did she jump nearly a foot in the air. She wasn't scared at _all_, and her heart had _not_ nearly flown out of her chest. She maintained a calm and civil demeanor through Sonia's surprise appearance, and she would maintain that stance to her dying breath.

Sayaka on the other hand _did_ scream, as her dulcet voice reverberated throughout the empty store. She placed a hand on her chest, her heart beating a mile a minute as she glanced at the princess.

She took a deep calming breath, her shoulders shaking in a dry laugh. "C-could you refrain from doing that in the future? You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Oh, my apologizes! Did I spook you two? I'm sorry! I won't try to do that again," Sonia proclaimed, giving them both an apologetic smile and a bow. "Still, this is great luck! I was hoping to talk with you, Sayaka. I must admit, I'm a huge fan of yours."

"Fan?" Mukuro questioned, before recalling her talent. "Oh, you mean Sayaka's idol group."

"Yes! I have to say I've taken a shine to idol culture in general, but Sayaka and her band have really captured my attention!" Sonia confirmed. "And I'm not alone in that. Novoselic is the second largest consumer of idol media after Japan itself, and nearly 87% of the country voted that Sayaka Maizono was their favorite idol!"

"O-oh? Sheesh, I didn't know it was that high," she said. She smiled brightly, feeling giddy at the news. "I'm so glad to hear that! Though to hear that a princess is my number one fan, it's so cool! I'm sure the other girls will be happy to hear that Novoselic loves them so much!"

"You're very welcome Sayaka! I do hope your band comes to do a tour in Novoselic after we leave this island. I know my people would love it!" Sonia declared, smiling brightly at her. "And...well, this is a little embarrassing, but I was wondering if you might sign something for me?"

"Of course! I'd love to give you my autograph! It would be an honor!" Sayaka said excitedly. She reached into her skirt pocket for a pen she always kept around. "So, what would you like me to sign?"

Sonia clasped her hands together excitedly, and reached behind herself to pull out a rolled up poster. She unfurled it, revealing a high quality picture of Sayaka on stage: nothing too abnormal there. However, it soon became apparent that the picture was far from normal. The Sayaka on it looked noticeably panicked, as her top wasn't properly pulled all the way on: as a result of this, her bare breasts were visible for everyone to see.

"Hm, I didn't know you did that kind of photography, Sayaka," Mukuro declared with a smirk, studying the picture with keen interest.

"What...what the _fuck_?!" Sayaka cried, eyes wide as saucers, as her pen fell from her hand. "Where the hell did you get that? My manager made sure all of those pictures were deleted!"

"Oh, it was ever so simple! An attaché to the Novoselic Ambassador was at the concert this took place at, and recorded the whole thing for the royal family. From there, it was fairly simple to take a screenshot, and have it printed up as a poster!" Sonia gladly explained, smiling cheerfully at the stunned idol. "I must admit, It is my favorite picture of you! The overall crown jewel of my collection!"

"The crown jewel? You have a full blown picture of my tits hanging up in your room? What the hell!" she thundered, her arms hastily covering her breasts, even though they were covered. "I am not signing that! I refuse too!"

"Oh my, did I do something wrong?" Sonia inquired, looking rather concerned as she glanced at the picture again. "Is the poster too small for your liking? I have a bigger one back home, but this was all that was available in my cabin at the hotel. Or...oh, this has to deal with Japanese opinions on nudity, doesn't it? I still don't quite understand the cultural differences there, I'm afraid. In Novoselic, it's not at all uncommon for popular female performers to go topless during performances."

Mukuro, meanwhile, was looking off to the side, her hand covering her mouth as her shoulders shook with mirth.

Sayaka sputtered, unable to come up with any coherent questions. Her face was flushed, cheeks glowing brighter and brighter as time went on. "I just- I...you have a bigger poster at home? I can't even...Ugh! Just get rid of it will you? I tried so hard to keep that buried. I don't want anyone to see my boobs like that okay?"

She paused for a moment, Princess Sonia's words sinking into her head. "Wait...idols perform topless in Novoselic? I am most certainly not holding a concert there! So don't bother asking!"

"Really? I was ever so looking forward to getting this autographed, too!" she pouted, giving a slight sigh as she rolled up the poster. "And not all idols in Novoselic do that! Certainly, foreign artists don't have to. Let's not be so hasty about never going to Novoselic!"

Sonia paused, an idea seeming to come to her head. She gave a triumphant pose, reminiscent of Rosie the Riveter, and declared, "I know! If you are so troubled by this, perhaps taking a photograph of my own breasts would set you at ease? We'd be even that way, yes?"

Before Sayaka could even think to object, she was already undoing her blouse. All the while, Mukuro was doubled over, face red and her body shaking with voiceless laughter. The normally stoic girl unable to take the increasingly farcical nature of the conversation.

"No! I don't want to take a pictures of your boobs! God what even is this conversation?" Sayaka cried out. She grabbed a hold of Sonia's hands, stopping her from undoing her top.

"Listen, I'll visit Novoselic okay? But this stays between us. You will not show that poster to anyone. You will not talk about it, don't even think about it! When you get home, you destroy the other one too, understood?" she finally said.

Sonia paused, thinking it over for a moment before giving an agreeing nod. "Very well! I still don't understand why you're so embarrassed over such a lovely photograph, but I shall comply! I must say, I look forward to giving you a tour of my homeland. It shall be a glorious time for us all!"

Sonia beamed at her, before leaning in to give her a kiss on both cheeks. That done, she happily waved them goodbye, and left the market.

"...Well, now I've had dinner _and_ a show. Good performance there, Sayaka," Mukuro snarked, a smirk on her face as she recovered from her silent bout of laughter.

"Don't you even! This stays between us as well, got it?!" she exclaimed, wiping the princess' lipgloss from her cheeks. "Jesus, I wasn't expecting this when I woke up here,"

Mukuro carefully glanced over at the security camera pointed their way, but decided not to draw attention to it. Perhaps it was best Sayaka hadn't noticed its presence. "Fine, fine. But I gotta ask...how does something like that even _happen_, anyway?"

"I was in a hurry. We had just finished a song and needed a costume change. We had to get in a new outfit in less than a minute. The stage hand called for time and I ran out," Sayaka said, looking away in embarrassment. "It wasn't until one of my friends pointed at me that I noticed. I was jiggling,"

Mukuro couldn't help but outright snort at that, shaking her head in amusement. "Sorry, but you gotta admit, that's pretty funny. I can only imagine the crowd went wild at that."

"Oh I'm sure they did. I fainted shortly after, so aside from videos, I have no recollection of the event. That's how I want it to stay." she said firmly. "Can we just move on? I just wanna get outta here now,"

"Sure, that's fine." Mukuro nodded.

She felt a little tempted to tease the other girl a bit more...but she probably felt embarrassed enough about the situation. Besides, she had the odd feeling she'd wake up one night with Sayaka standing over her bed, knife in hand, if she said anything else. That wasn't the kind of enemy she wanted to make.

"Ha, there ya are! Been looking everywhere for you, you bitch," the voice of Akane roughly announced, as she suddenly walked into the store.

She stared at Mukuro long and hard for a moment, before dramatically pointing at her. "You, me, rematch. Tomorrow. This time around I'm gonna steal _your_ clothes! Got that?"

Sayaka looked between the two, a look of confusion on her face. She had calmed down enough from what had happened to finally speak normally. "Steal her clothes, why would you want to do that?"

"Because she stole _my_ clothes first! She walked up into the restaurant completely naked, ambushed me, and stole my clothes! And she's _still_ wearing them!" Akane fumed, growling a little as she glared at her.

"Well, to be fair, The jacket is from Nagito, and he gave that willingly," she retorted, giving an uncaring shrug.

"Yeah, yeah. Look, I'm getting my rematch, and I'm gonna win this time!" Akane declared, crossing her arms.

"...Oh, by the way, Rantaro wants you and Byakuya to take care of his little sister. He wanted me to tell you that, too." With that said, Akane flipped Mukuro off, and strode out of the room.

"Pfft, you stole Akane's clothes?" Sayaka asked, after a few seconds of silence. "And you woke up naked? Well, I guess we both have each other's secrets to keep,"

"It wasn't like I wanted to wake up like that!" Mukuro exclaimed, before giving a sigh. "Well, you've got a point there. Also, um...I still don't have any other clothes to wear. Usami wasn't...keen on giving me any of my own wardrobe for some reason. Could I maybe...borrow some of yours?"

"I suppose you could. I'm sure that I've got something that'll fit you. That is, if you are okay with wearing frilly clothes. I'm sure you'd look cute in a pleated skirt!" Sayaka said happily.

"...God, kill me already..." she mumbled to herself, before nodding. "Fine, let's go then."

That said, the two of them finally departed from the store.

* * *

_7:01 PM, Day 1_

_Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

After her talk with Korekiyo, Kaede left the restaurant and decided to wander around, wanting to take a more intimate look over the first island. By the time she was done, she'd thoroughly explored all the locations of interest, including a few places she hadn't visited during her initial explorations of the island. During that time, she ran into some of the others, and chatted with each of them for some time before resuming her explorations.

By the time she returned to the hotel, it was late in the evening, and Kaede felt ready to retire for the night. Before she could make it to her room though, she ran into Shuichi and Tsumugi.

"Come on, I just want to hear you say it! I'm sure you'd sound so cool!" Tsumugi enthused, clasping her hands together as she pleaded.

Shuichi, meanwhile, looked rather embarrassed with whatever it was she was requesting of him. "I-I'd really rather not. I mean, it feels...embarrassing to say something like that. Besides, I'm a detective, not a lawyer. That quote would fit a lot better with someone who's actually a trial attorney..."

Shuichi glanced off to the side, becoming the first to notice Kaede as she approached. He noticeably brightened, and immediately tried switching subjects. "Oh, Kaede! It's good to see you. What have you been up to?"

"Hm? Oh, not much. Just took a more thorough look of the island," Kaede replied, shrugging slightly. "What about you two?"

"Not much. I checked up on Toko, and she was up by the time I visited her. She acted a little...odd at first, but after a sneezing fit she seemed to come to her senses. After that, I filled her in on everything that had gone on in the restaurant," Shuichi dutifully reported.

"I spent a little time with Ibuki myself. I must say, she's quite...excitable. She did seem to have some odd misconceptions about my talent, but I managed to set her straight," Tsumugi added, giving a slight shrug.

Kaede nodded at that. She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could speak, there was a sudden crack of thunder from the skies above! Not only that, the power around them flickered out, the lights lighting up the walkway suddenly going out.

Just as soon as it went out though, it came back on. Still, in that split second of total darkness, Tsumugi let out a small shriek, and a second later the sound of splashing water could be heard.

When the lights came back on, Tsumugi had somehow tripped and fallen off the walkway, landing in the waterway beneath the cabins.

"Tsumugi!"

Kaede immediately leaned down and reached over to the side, Shuichi following right behind her. Between the two of them, they were able to help pull up the now dripping wet girl.

"Sorry about that...the sudden darkness, well, surprised me, and I ended up stumbling and falling down into the water," Tsumugi apologized, fixing her askew glasses. She looked down at herself, frowning as she observed her soaked clothes.

"Don't worry about it, Tsumugi! We just need to get you a new pair of clothes, get you a shower, and you'll be fixed in no time!" Kaede enthused.

"Ah...that might be a problem...the shower part, that is," Shuichi spoke up, scratching his chin nervously. When Kaede and Tsumugi both looked over to him, he elaborated. "The bathrooms in the cabins, far as I can tell, only have a toilet. There aren't any shower stalls or bath tubs in there, far as I can tell."

"Really?" Kaede questioned, eyebrows raised. "Well, where are we supposed to bathe, then?"

"_An excellent question, Katie!"_

Before they could react, Usami suddenly appeared between them, settling herself in front of Kaede. The rabbit gave a tittering laugh as she crossed her arms, looking quite pleased with herself.

"_The communal showers were off limits before, since it took extra long to scrub out all the blood from last time. But now they're clean, and ready for action!"_ Usami declared. "_You can find them in the lobby, the door across from the staircase to the restaurant. I'll be letting everyone know about this, so you schmucks don't have to worry about spreading the word."_

"Blood?! Wait, 'last time'?" Shuichi pressed, a thoughtful look on his face. "What does that—!"

Before he could finish his sentence, however, Usami turned and dived off the walkway, disappearing into the water below.

A moment of awkward silence passed after that. When it got too unbearable, Kaede cleared her throat and spoke up.

"Well, let's go get you some new clothes to change into, then we can check out these communal showers! Sound good?" she suggested.

Shuichi and Tsumugi nodded at that, and so they went off.

It was a simple matter to get a new change of clothes from Tsumugi's cabin, and after that they walked back into the lobby. Kaede strode up to the previously locked door, and sure enough, it opened up when she tried the handle. Peering in, she could see a large wall that divided the room ahead, with a sign on the left that said 'men' in several languages, while the sign on the right said 'women' in just as many languages.

"Huh, and here I thought there was a set of stairs behind this door," Kaede mused, looking around.

The three of them peered into both wings, revealing that boy were styled near identically. Both sides led into a wide locker room, that itself led into a communal shower area, wide and spacious enough to host two or three dozen people. It didn't offer a lot of privacy, of course, but considering there was a gender separation, it wouldn't be too much of an issue. Ideally, at least.

"I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I gotta admit, the locker rooms here aren't too bad," Kaede commented later on, as she and Shuichi hung out in the women's side of the locker room, the two of them facing each other as they sat on opposing benches.

Tsumugi was already in the shower itself, washing herself off of the water beneath the walkway. From her vantage point, Kaede had a good view into the area of the showers Tsumugi was in, and watched the girl with some interest as she bathed. Shuichi, meanwhile, couldn't see her at all from where he sat. Though his face was still noticeably flushed, the boy detective tugging at his collar nervously.

"I, uh, still don't feel comfortable just...waiting in here," he admitted, letting out a nervous laugh. "M-Maybe I should just wait outside or something..."

"Nonsense! It's fine, I mean, it's just the three of us here. And neither of us mind you being in here with us! Right, Tsumugi?" Kaede asked.

"Yup! I don't really mind at all," she called out from the shower. "I mean, Shuichi isn't the type of guy who'd force himself on a girl, from what I can tell at least. So I don't really mind!"

Shuichi flushed even harder at that, looking away nervously as he crossed his legs. "W-Well, if you say it's all right..."

Kaede gave an impish giggle, and felt the sudden urge to tease Shuichi further. It might be mean of her to do so, but...she couldn't help it! He looked so cute when he got flustered like that!

However, Tsumugi ended up beating her to the punch.

"Still, this seems like the perfect setup to something you might see in anime," Tsumugi voiced aloud. "If we were to call Shuichi the 'protagonist' here, you'd see the very universe itself conspire to get him into lecherous situations. An entire cadre of girls could start to come in, forcing him to hide in a locker, lest he be branded a pervert. Or, some series of events could transpire where he ends up seeing me naked in here. Or...well, the possibilities are endless, I suppose, when you factor in anime logic."

Kaede snickered at that, while Shuichi himself blushed all the harder. He pulled his cap lower over his face, obscuring one eye, before abruptly standing up.

"Th-that won't be an issue, I'm sure, Tsumugi," he declared, stuttering slightly. "I-I think I should really get going, anyway. I don't want to make you two uncomfortable or a-anything."

"Aww, come on, Shuichi, we're just teasing you!" Kaede reassured, giving him an apologetic smile. "Please, just sit down and talk with us. We really don't mind—oh my god."

She cut herself off, flushing horridly as her eyes caught sight of something peculiar: something that she couldn't see when Shuichi had been sitting with his legs crossed, but could now, given he'd stood up. Worse still, she was eye-level with his waist, giving her a perfect view of _it_.

Shuichi looked down, his entire face covered with a deep crimson blush, as he noticed what she'd seen. He immediately turned away from her, and practically bolted from the locker room.

"I'llseeyoulaterKaedebye!" he rushed out as he fled.

Kaede was left there in stunned silence, unable to believe what she'd just seen. Tsumugi, meanwhile, came running out of the shower, naked and dripping wet.

"Wh-what's wrong? Huh? Where did Shuichi go?" she asked, a bewildered look on her face.

"Sh-Shuichi...h-he...he had a..." Kaede trailed off, unable to complete her sentence.

Tsumugi appeared confused for a moment, before she abruptly understood. Her eyes widened, and she glanced toward where Shuichi had been sitting. "S-So he got a..."

"Y-Yes," she confirmed with a dim nod.

Tsumugi lightly nodded, a faraway look in her eyes. "...I see, I see…"

A moment of awkward silence passed, while Kaede herself felt tempted to go after Shuichi and apologize to him. Before she could however, the silence was abruptly broken.

"So, how big was it?"

"Tsumugi!"

* * *

_9:27 PM, Day 1_

_Hotel Mirai, Rantaro's Cabin_

_1st Island_

It took some time, but Rantaro managed to make his way back to his cabin, alone, and ready to retire for the night. When he walked in, Akane was already waiting for him.

"About time you showed up," she complained, leaning back on his bed. "Couldn't shake off Mikan or something?"

"Heh, actually, yes. She was...quite persistent on becoming my live-in nurse, as it were. It was all I could do to convince her not to sleep under my bed," Rantaro confessed, giving a small sigh as he sat next to her.

"Ha! Sounds like you got yourself a girlfriend," Akane teased, playfully elbowing Rantaro's side.

He rolled his eyes at that, giving a dismissive laugh. "Please, I doubt she sees me that way. She's just, well...doing her job. She's just worryingly thorough about it."

Akane wasn't so sure about that herself, but frankly, it wasn't any of her business. Matter of fact, she had come here for something far more important than just small-talk.

"So, is there a reason you showed up here in my room? Come to kill me or something?" Rantaro casually inquired, giving her the opening she needed.

"Hmph, something tells me if I even tried, you wouldn't stay dead," Akane retorted, offering him a fanged smirk. And given the scars that littered his body, not to mention all the shit she'd seen him live through personally, she honestly believed it.

Then again, he was still human. He'd die for sure if he got shot in the head, or had his face caved in. Not even the Ultimate Survivor could withstand an injury like that.

"Then what are you here for?" Rantaro asked, gazing at her curiously.

Akane's smirk stretched into a wolfish grin in response. A moment later, she reached over and pushed Rantaro against his bed, sprawling him on his back. She didn't waste any time at all, and soon straddled his waist, towering over him.

She leaned down, pressing her lips against his own hungrily in an open-mouthed kiss. Rantaro seemed surprised for a brief few seconds, before he reciprocated, and their tongues met.

They kissed like that for a good while, before Akane finally broke for air, her face flushed with desire. Rantaro seemed similarly affected, to her great satisfaction.

"Well...and here I thought you were quite taken with Teruteru," he managed to breathe out, of all things.

Akane barked out an honest laugh, not expecting that at _all. _"Really? You have a smoking hot girl ready to ravish you, and that's the first thing you say? Heh, well, you know me. Teruteru is a charmer, I'll say, and I'll probably fuck him later. Tonight, though...well, I wanted _you."_

She paused, laughing again as she felt a certain something stirring beneath her, and poke at her rear. "And it seems like _you _want _me."_

"Well...guilty as charged, I suppose," he amicably admitted, a sensuous smile on his lips. "Although, I wasn't sure if you were still interested in me that way. I don't hold a grudge over what happened in Roanapur, but—!"

"Forget Roanapur," she interjected, poking him forcefully in the chest. She reached down with a hand thereafter, casually feeling his muscled and scarred torso through his shirt. "Forget everything that happened there two years ago. Well...maybe not _everything_; it wouldn't do me well at all if you suddenly forgot how to fuck!"

She snickered at that, and Rantaro honest to god _blushed._ For once his cool demeanor failed him, and he couldn't help but defensively retort, "I certainly didn't envision my first time happening in a rundown warehouse, I'll have you know. That was entirely your doing!"

It definitely was: but in her defense, she really couldn't help herself. Learning that a boy as handsome and as pretty as Rantaro was a fucking _virgin_...well, she'd been a bit tipsy at the time, and things had escalated from there.

"Like I said, forget Roanapur. I don't care what happened back there. Right now, all I wanna focus on is the here and now. And _right now_...I want you inside me," Akane firmly declared, even as she leaned down to playfully nip at his neck.

Rantaro groaned in appreciation, and she felt the bulge pressing into her pulse wantonly. She smiled at that, and leaned back up, quickly undoing her top, shucking it off and freeing her tits. His good hand reached up almost instantly thereafter, seizing hold of her breast as he groped her.

Akane sighed with desire, as the familiar tingle of lust starting to cloud her senses. She ground against him greedily, feeling her bare, already wet slit rub up against his bulge: bare, because she'd taken her panties off before he'd even arrived.

Akane reached down between them, lifting herself up briefly to grasp at the crotch of Rantaro's pants. She fiddled with his fly, zipping it down easily enough, and then reached inside to fish out his penis. She grabbed hold of his shaft a moment later, feeling it throb hotly in her hand, and she got it out, smiling wide as she started pumping the foreskin up and down, stroking him off.

Rantaro tensed beneath her at that, his hand squeezing her breast roughly in response as he groped her. She smirked down at him, pumping his shaft one more time, before maneuvering herself over his tip.

She couldn't wait any longer now: there had been enough teasing, and now she was determined to claim her prize.

She guided him to her entrance, and let gravity do the rest of the work, as she sank down against him. Rantaro let out a shaky breath, groaning softly as she took him inside; Akane, for her part, likewise trembled and moaned, her face flushed as she felt his shaft stretch her out.

It'd been far, far too long since she'd enjoyed herself like this!

Once he was fully inserted, Akane wasted little time, and started riding Rantaro's cock. She grunted and groaned with effort, content to do all the work as she lowered herself onto him again and again. Her inner walls gripped his shaft tightly, squeezing and clenching down on him roughly as she had her way with him.

Rantaro, meanwhile, took it all with good grace. He panted beneath her, shuddering with parted lips as she humped his cock. He played with her breast all the while, gently fondling her tit and rubbing his thumb against her nipple—perhaps too gently for Akane's tastes, but then and there she found that she didn't care too much about it.

She fucked Rantaro like that for what felt like an eternity, the passage of time slowing down for her as she focused on their mutual pleasure. Ever so slowly, however, she felt the heat between her legs start to rise, the euphoria and pleasure she felt building up to a grand finale. It made Akane ride him faster, her body eagerly chasing that growing feeling, her hips slamming against Rantaro's own with abandon, as his cock slid in and out of her.

Rantaro came first, his orgasm crashing over him without warning. He gave a long, drawn-out groan, and Akane could feel the warmth of his seed start to spread inside of her. His shaft pulsed hard within her, his semen forcefully pumping into her, much to her own delight.

The feel of Rantaro's cum deep inside her pussy was enough to set off Akane's own orgasm. With a heated moan of her own, she reached her climax. Her inner walls clamped down against his throbbing penis, as her world went white with blissful, overwhelming pleasure! Akane shuddered her way through it, grunting softly through it all.

Eventually, her euphoria started to fade, and Akane was left to bask in the afterglow. She gave a small sigh, eyes closed as she lifted herself off of Rantaro's lap, and rolled over next to him. She settled against him, a content smirk on her face, even as she felt his sperm start to trickle out of her.

Well, it wasn't like she had to worry about protection anyway.

Akane felt his hand softly stroke her cheek a moment later, and she instinctively flinched away, hissing, "Don't touch me!"

She paused after that, an irritated feeling passing through her briefly, before she apologized. "Sorry about that. Force of habit."

She glanced over at him, catching Rantaro's simple nod. He smiled at her with a flushed face, taking a moment to catch his breath before giving a reply.

"Don't worry about it. I didn't mean to bring back any bad memories."

They remained silent after that, Akane using the break to recover as well. After awhile though, she decided to speak up.

"They weren't all bad memories. You certainly weren't," she said, a genuine smile working its way onto her face.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. I must admit, I feel the same way about you. Roanapur was a hellhole of a city, but being there with you made up for that," he declared with a slight chuckle.

Akane felt something odd twist and flutter in her stomach: a foreign feeling, one she found quite confusing and embarrassing at the same time. She decided to push past that, and found herself rolling onto her side facing Rantaro.

"Enough about that sappy junk. I'm ready to start round two if you are," she proclaimed, a devilish smirk on her face.

"Round two? So soon?" Rantaro replied, mock-surprise evident in his tone.

"You bet, lover-boy. I don't plan on sleeping anytime soon, you know. And I know you don't either. So why don't we pick up where we left off?" Akane said, sitting up in his bed.

And so they continued like that, for some time. Forgetting, if just for one night, the troubles and tribulations that lay ahead.

* * *

**End Day 1**

**21 Students Remain**

* * *

_Also, special thanks to CSD for writing that scene with Sayaka with me!_

_Review Responses_

_Crit: Haha, indeed! Funny enough I didn't set out to include Monaca, but I couldn't resist when I came up with the idea of her and Rantaro being siblings came to mind. _

_Sky: There is indeed fuckery afoot! But would you expect any less in a Killing Game?_

_Trust: Aww, but Kiyo wants to make all sorts of friends! And indeed, Usami might well be expecting certain individuals to go rogue and make her job much easier._

_JC: Remember JC: Just Monaca!_

_Tiger: Glad you like things so far!_

_Kirb: Glad you like all the interactions so far! I certainly enjoy writing them. _

_Kobold: Ha, glad you caught that! I love sneaking in these references. _


	9. Blood Moon Rising, 1-4

_7:27 AM, Day 2_

_Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

Kaede woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and relaxed, much to her own relief. Of course she was briefly confused upon waking up...but, well, it didn't take long for her to remember everything that had happened yesterday.

She quickly brushed past that though, and set about getting ready for the day. After freshening up in her cabin's bathroom, she headed over to the hotel, intent on taking a nice, hot shower. When she arrived in the girls locker room, she saw that some of the other girls had beaten her to the punch.

"Good morning, Kaede!" Tsumugi cheerfully greeted her as she came in. The other girl was already in the process of stripping down and placing her clothes into one of the lockers.

"Morning, 'Mugi," she greeted in kind. She likewise greeted Mikan and Ibuki, both of whom were also in the locker room.

Soon enough all four of them had disrobed, and went into the communal shower to bathe. Kaede chose a shower head at random, turning it on. She shivered as it blasted her with cold water at first, but slowly it started to heat up, raining down a soothing stream of hot water against her bare skin.

She idly looked around, eyeing the other girls as they also showered. Admiring the admittedly cute and sexy bodies of her classmates...at least, until she glanced at Ibuki, and inadvertently locked eyes with her. It seemed she was studying Kaede, in turn.

Kaede blushed a little and immediately looked away, feeling a little guilty at being caught like that. She had little time to dwell on that though, before she felt someone reach up from behind and squeeze her breasts!

"W-Woah!" Kaede squeaked, her face flushing further as her mysterious groper fondled her shamelessly. She twisted her head back, finally seeing it was Ibuki that had come up behind her!

"Ooh, Kaede has real big titties! Ibuki has to admit, she is real impressed! You've probably got, like, the biggest set of boobs on the entire island!" Ibuki enthused, a carefree grin on her face as she felt her up.

"I-Ibuki?! Wh-what do you think you're doing?!" Kaede demanded, even as felt more heat gather at her cheeks. At the same time, she had to bite her lip a little, not wanting to make any weird noises as her shower-mate fondled her like this! "A-And you're exaggerating! My breasts...th-they aren't that big!"

"I believe this is referred to as, 'skinship grope'. It's a common trope in anime and manga. It's usually used for fanservice in bathing scenes, where one or more girls admire another's chest size. It's usually treated as pretty harmless...though I suppose such things might be considered sexual assault in real life," Tsumugi 'helpfully' proclaimed, doing absolutely nothing to help her out.

"Hmm, Mugi is right! Ibuki should have asked for permission first!" Ibuki decisively stated, abruptly letting go of Kaede's breasts.

She breathed a sigh of relief at that, her face still quite red from that sudden, rough treatment. She glared half-heartedly at Ibuki, crossing her arms under her breasts as she tapped her foot against the linoleum floor. "You really should have! That isn't very nice to do out of the blue like that, Ibuki!"

"Ibuki is very sorry! She humbly begs your eternal forgiveness!" she exclaimed, bowing her head as she clasped her hands together. A moment later though, an impish smile worked its way onto her face. "So then...do I have it? Your permission?"

"H-huh?" Kaede stuttered out, taken aback.

"Well, Ibuki is asking for it this time! Does Kaede want me to fondle her breasts?" she clearly asked, giving an excited giggle afterward.

"I...y-you...I..." she sputtered in response, at a loss for words. Much to her eternal gratitude, however, Tsumugi came to her rescue.

"Hey, I don't mind if you fondle my chest, Ibuki!"

Ibuki turned to Tsumugi at that, an eager grin on her face as she nodded. She wasted little time at all and slipped over to where Tsumugi was at, getting behind her and reaching over to grab her breasts.

"...Really?" Kaede couldn't help but ask, staring at her bemusedly.

"Kaede, don't ruin this for me. You have no idea how much I want to play out an anime trope in real life!" Tsumugi insisted, an intensely serious look on her face. After a few seconds though her face started to redden, as an intense blush blossomed over her cheeks. "Oh, w-wow, this feels a lot more...d-different than I imagined..."

"Ibuki is happy to serve!" the girl in question happily chirped, of course still groping Tsumugi's chest. "Mm, your boobs are pretty big too Mugi! Maybe just a little bit smaller than Kaede's. Ibuki is so jealous! Grr, Ibuki wanted to be a big tiddy goth gf! Why was she given such small breasts in her character design?!"

Ibuki continued babbling her nonsense, taking out her anger on an increasingly flustered Tsumugi, as she aggressively fondled and felt up the other girl's breasts. Kaede felt the need to intervene, until something else ended up distracting them.

"Wahh!" Mikan suddenly screeched.

Kaede immediately looked her way, just in time to see Mikan skidding across the floor, her foot having slipped on a dropped bar of soap. Too late, Kaede realized she was going to crash right into her! Seconds later Mikan smacked against her body, sending them both sprawling to the floor.

"I-I-I'm so sorry!" she wailed from atop her, squirming in embarrassment as she tried—and failed—to get off of Kaede.

"Oh my! What a shameless display of fanservice!" Tsumugi commented, an amused gleam in her eye as she stared down at them.

Ibuki, meanwhile, chortled and giggled impishly. "Welcome to the world of girl love! Careful, it's slippery when wet!"

Kaede wasn't sure what they were talking about at first, but then she took stock of her current situation. Here she was, sprawled out on the floor, wet and naked, with an equally wet and naked girl on top of her. Their breasts were pressed together, and Mikan's thigh was pressing up against...an unfortunate place. As if that wasn't enough, the icing on the cake was Mikan's constant squirming, as she unsuccessfully tried to get off of her, causing her to rub up against her body.

All in all, it was a rather obscene sight!

Kaede felt her cheeks heat up in response, and she immediately reached up to grasp Mikan's shoulders. "Okay, calm down Mikan! Just...just roll off of me, and then we can get up."

She gave out another hurried apology, but complied all the same, tilting her body to the side and landing next to her. After that, Ibuki and Tsumugi finally helped, pulling them both up to their feet.

"Gee, you could have stepped in a little sooner," Kaede huffed, glaring at them both. She sighed after a moment though, glancing at Mikan, who still acted rather frazzled and apologetic.

"It's fine, Mikan. I know it was an accident," she reassured her, reaching over to reassuringly patted her shoulder.

"B-B-But it's not! Oh, I'm so sorry Kaede! Y-You can grope me however you like, if it makes you feel better! I can take it!" Mikan, however, didn't seem so ready to accept her forgiveness.

Before Kaede could even reply, Ibuki swooped in, wrapping Mikan up in a bear hug from behind, as her hands seized hold of her breasts. "Ooh, don't mind if Ibuki takes you up on that offer!"

Kaede immediately averted her eyes, though that didn't stop her from hearing the squeaks and surprised squeals Mikan let out.

"Jeez, I'm starting to wonder if she has an obsession or something," Kaede commented aloud.

"That, or maybe she swings for the other side? Not that there's anything wrong with that," Tsumugi suggested with a shrug.

Whatever the case was, Kaede decided to turn her attention back to the showers, intent on getting washed up and clean. Though that was a bit harder to focus on than she'd like, as Ibuki continued horsing around, even after other girls started entering the shower...

* * *

_9:02 AM, Day 2_

_Hotel Restaurant, Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

After a brief visit to the showers, Akane found herself feeling refreshed and invigorated. She marched on over to the restaurant soon after, where most of the group was already gathered eating breakfast. After getting herself a plate of food from Teruteru, she scoped out the dining room. She spotted Rantaro at one table with Mikan and Monaca, the three of them enjoying themselves nicely. She felt a little tempted to go join him, but instead decided to leave him be.

After a few seconds she instead set her sights on a lone table in the corner, where a certain brown haired girl was eating by herself.

"Hey there, Chihiro right?" Akane asked, as she sat across from her. "Looks like you could use some company."

"Oh um... hello Akane, I'd love some company," she softly replied, giving the brunette a small smile.

Akane nodded, idly spearing a portion of food with her fork, before plopping it into her mouth. After she chewed she remarked, "Gotta admit, I'm surprised you're sitting here all alone. A girl as cute and pretty like you usually has a whole entourage of guys and girls to bat off!"

"Oh? I'm a bit nervous around strangers. I-I can be a very shy person when I want to be," she replied, turning her attention back to her food. "Though I wouldn't call myself c-cute, I-I don't like having a lot of a-attention on me,"

"Really? Well, you're *definitely* cute: I'm a girl too, so you can take it as an objective observation!" Akane declared, a wolfish grin on her face as she stared at Chihiro. "But yeah, I can get that. It's kinda annoying to have guys stare at my boobs when I'm not in the mood for sex."

"Hehe ...yeah," Chihiro awkwardly replied. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I take it you don't like being ogled? It makes me feel weird when I am,"

"Eh, most of the time I don't mind. I mean, I'm used to it. Plus, I like it sometimes. It's just when I'm not in that mood, that it's annoying," she replied, shrugging slightly.

A teasing grin came on her face a moment later though, and Akane reached up to tug at her shirt, revealing some more cleavage. "But I certainly don't mind if you ogle me, ya know!"

"Ah! I w-won't do that A-Akane! I respect you after all!" the girl exclaimed, a flush on her cheeks. "I d-don't think I could do that to you!"

Akane couldn't help but chuckle at that, shaking her head as Chihiro got all embarrassed. "Oh, don't worry about it. I'm just teasin' yeah! I mean, I seriously don't mind if you do, since you're such a cutie. But anyway, I gotta admit, I was a bit surprised you weren't in the showers with everyone else. I was hoping to see you in there!"

"T-that's because-" she paused, looking away from her. "I had already taken a shower, haha. I like showering alone. I get embarrassed when I'm with other girls."

Akane nodded lightly at that. It made enough sense to her. "That's fair, I guess. Whatever makes you more comfortable, I say!"

And Akane would _like_ to make Chihiro comfortable in her bed back in her cabin, but she seemed a bit too shy for that strategy to work so soon. Pity.

"So, you're a programmer, huh?" she asked, switching gears. "What's that like?"

"It's very fun. I've learned a lot over the years, especially from my father. We built our own computer out of spare parts," she said, a small smile appearing on her face. "A lot of people have a hard time understanding binary but when you do, you'll see yourself speaking in 1s and 0s too. You can even make video games and other cool things. It's really rewarding."

"Hm, sounds like it," Akane agreed, nodding a little. "I was never one for computers, but then again I was never all that booksmart too. Had to teach myself and my siblings how to read: wasn't as if there was a proper school in Roanapur."

"I'm sorry to hear that. But with computers you have quite the advantage, you can learn a wide manner of things now. Some people even elect to take school courses online, skipping out on school entirely," Chihiro replied. "If you'd like, I could compile a list of sites that could be of help. I'm sure your siblings could use a simple and affordable education, and you wouldn't have to leave your home either."

"Hm, that's not a bad idea Chi. I'll have to keep that in mind!" Akane noted, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "But I've already got a good deal going on for my siblings. We've got a house and education paid for by the Japanese government. Pays to know the right people when we came here. But thanks for the offer: it still might prove useful for us later."

"No problem! I enjoy helping people out with programming and technology, it is my specialty after all," Chihiro said happily, taking a few more bites of her food. "I'm glad to hear that your siblings are doing well. I am a little worried though, being on this island. I hope by father isn't worrying over me."

Akane nodded at that. She could really relate to that. She hadn't tried to think about her siblings too much since waking up here. At the end of the day, she had no way of knowing what was going on with them, unless she found a way off this blasted island. She just had to hope that they were okay, and that Hajime would be looking after them like he usually did.

Still, they were in Japan now: they should be safe. It wasn't like they were in Roanapur anymore: she didn't have to worry about one of them getting caught up in a fight in town, or make sure no one tried to kidnap them off the streets. Whatever was going on with her, *they* were safe, and that was all that mattered!

"Uh, 'scuse me..."

Akane blinked, glancing off over to the side. She noticed Mondo standing there now, looking a bit red in the face as he stared down at her and Chihiro.

"H-hello M-Mondo," she shyly replied. Her face went completely red as she hastily looked away.

Mondo's face likewise heated up, but he braved through what he had to say all the same. "I uh, was talkin' to Kaede, apologizing to her and stuff. For...how I acted yesterday. And...she made me realize I ought to apologize to you two too. So...uh, sorry. I really shouldn't have ogled you while you were...n-naked, Akane."

He turned to Chihiro next, struggling even more to get out his next sentence. "And...s-s-sorry for uh...that, Chihiro. A lady shouldn't have to see somethin' like that! I'm really, really sorry about that. I shoulda known better!"

Well now, that was a story she had to find out later! In the meantime, Akane just smirked up at him and shrugged. "Hey, I don't mind. It's cool, man."

"It's fine. Y-you're forgiven," the programmer squeaked, squeezing her eyes shut. Meanwhile, her face was so hot, Akane was almost sure steam was gonna blow out of her ears.

Akane resisted the urge to snicker, finding Chihiro's reaction endlessly adorable and a little sexy. Instead she finished the last of her food, and offered them both a fanged grin and proclaimed, "Well, if you wanna do some more ogling later, with my permission, both of you know where to find me! Think I'll head off for now!"

She got up, pushing her plate aside. Before she left though, she came to a sudden stop. "Oh shit, I almost forgot!"

She let out a sharp whistle, gathering everyone's attention fairly quickly. That done she said, "Hey! This afternoon at three pm, Mukuro and I are having our goddamn rematch! And this time, she's going down! You're all welcome to watch as I beat her into submission! In fact, the more the merrier!"

That declared, she happily left the restaurant, already plotting her revenge...

* * *

_11:43 AM, Day 2_

_Jabberwock Park_

_Central Island_

With not much else to do for the time being, Kaede found herself traveling to the central island, deciding to explore it a little more. When she arrived, she decided to make her way over to the park, where she bumped into someone unexpectedly. "Sayaka?" she noted, raising an eyebrow in slight surprise. The girl in question was resting on a park bench, she saw. "You come out here to explore the central island too?"

"Hi Kaede!" Sayaka politely greeted. "To answer your question, yes. I wanted to get some fresh air, get away from it all for a bit. It's been...stressful,"

"Stressful? In what way?" Kaede couldn't help but ask as she tilted her head, finding herself curious.

The blue haired idol chuckled and rubbed her arm, remembering her encounter with the Ultimate Princess. She sighed, shaking her head. "I'd rather not talk about it. I'm mostly just... getting used to this entire situation. I can't help but worry about my family and my bandmates,"

Kaede nodded at that, a pensive look on her face as she crossed her arms. She took a seat besides Sayaka after a moment, figuring she wouldn't mind. "Yeah, I can understand that. I'm worried sick about my sister, Keiko. We've...never really been separated this long before. But, I'm sure it'll all work out all right! If all goes well, we'll be freed of Usami in a few more days!"

"Yes, that's what I'm hoping for too. Though I am worried that someone will actually do something." Sayaka replied, glancing away briefly. "No motive is basically a motive of it's own. Someone might be spurred to action, or a secret motive could be handed. With Usami, who knows?"

"Hmm...I guess that's fair. Still, I think we should look on the bright side for as long as we can!" Kaede declared, a determined look in her eye. "I'm sure Usami wants to drive us to paranoia and distrust, anyways!"

"Yeah, you're definitely right! I bet nothing is gonna happen anyways. Maybe we could do something to distract everyone from this? A concert maybe?" the idol asked, an almost excited look on her face. "I'm sure you want to show us your mean piano skills, this would be a great opportunity,"

"That's not a bad idea! I'll have to bring it up with Byakuya later," Kaede replied, nodding a bit. That might actually be fun! "But, well, I'm sure everyone would rather see you perform, you know." She leaned over a bit, playfully poking Sayaka in her side, "I mean, you ARE the Ultimate Idol and everything. You're a famous celebrity too!"

"Oh I know, but maybe just this once, I'd like to not be an idol. I don't mind singing a few songs but we can have the others sing too!" the blue haired beauty said, a smile on her face. "I'm sure they'll enjoy that, especially Ibuki. I'm sure she'll rock out the moment she gets on stage,"

"Oh, I'm sure she will!" Kaede replied, giggling slightly. "Ibuki sure is energetic and...unique. Makes me wonder what she'll sound like on stage. Hmm, you know, maybe we could even put our own impromptu band together? Ibuki on guitar, you doing lead vocals, me on piano...all we'd need is someone to play the drums and we'd be set!"

"Hmm... you are right. We could definitely put a band together, though I'm not sure who would be on drums." the idol said, tapping her chin in thought. "Shuichi doesn't strike me as a drummer... neither does Rantaro. Maybe Nagito? I'm not sure why it is, but I feel like he'd be able to play it perfectly,"

"Hmm, maybe! We'll have to find an actual drum set though, maybe there's one in the airport storage room," Kaede mused, shrugging slightly. "Besides that though, I gotta admit I'm curious about something: what's it like to be an idol?"

"Being an idol is a lot harder than a lot of people think it is. Everyone thinks it's all about glamour, cute songs and outfits and music videos," Sayaka said, sighing audibly. "In reality, the idol life is exhausting. You have to be punctual all the time. Rehearsals are mandatory to everyone and you spend at least 3 hours on several routines. You have a strict diet that you have to stick too, shit. Most of us can't even date because it ruins our public image!"

The young woman huffed in annoyance, crossing her arms under her bust. "I was told once that I couldn't date anyone because teenage boys were big consumers. Do you know what it's like knowing that some 15 year old is jacking off to a poster of you in his room? Or that there are figurines of you and your friends with very very detailed clothes? It's a nightmare."

As she said that, she tucked some hair behind her ear. A moment later though a small smile started spreading across her lips. "Still, despite everything, I love being an idol. It's fun knowing people love your music all around the world. That you have the sweetest fans in the world sharing their love and support for you. I've met so many kind people in my career, especially kids. They make my career very fun and fulfilling for me!"

Kaede felt her face heat up a bit at that, as Sayaka spoke. Still, she found herself nodding at the end, smiling a little. "I know I'm nowhere near the same level as you are, but...I can kinda relate. I just want to play the piano, but my manager has always put a lot of focus on my public image. Doing interviews, making sure I'm pretty and made up for pictures and photoshoots, answering fan letters, that sort of thing. You'd be surprised how many guys are suddenly into piano when an attractive teenage girl is the one playing it."

She paused a moment, a soft smile spreading across her lips. "But when I get in front of a piano...it all becomes worth it. I love playing it, and I love playing it in front of an audience even more. There's something...beautiful about it, in a way."

"Hehehe, I suppose we're kindred spirits then. Both of us enjoy what we do, and that makes it all worth it in the end. No matter the embarrassing interview questions, the fact that people are using your pictures for things you don't want to think of, and of course...embarrassing moments on stage," she said, shuddering a bit. "I'm just glad I've got someone I can relate too on this island,"

"Me too! I always relied on my sister on these sorts of things. I mean, we're twins, so we kind of shared the burden on that. But I'm glad I can talk about this with you too, Sayaka!" she declared. "Though I think I'd take the embarrassing interviews, and even the less reasonable photo shoots over the really obsessive fans. I mean, I actually got a love letter from a fan once. It was...really, really creepy."

"You too?" Sayaka said in a deadpanned tone. "Hoo boy, I've had my fair share of those. From the 'I love you, please marry me' to the 'Please come to England, I want you to meet my parents' to the creepiest one 'I love you so much. I'm watching you right now'. Ugh...just thinking about that last one makes my skin crawl," she said, shuddering.

"Jeez, tell me about it. The letter I got went into...really, really graphic detail about what he wanted to do with me. My manager ended up calling the police about it," Kaede admitted, giving a little shudder. "Still, it's not so bad. At the end of the day it's all really worth it when I get to play the piano! And thank god there's one on the first island: I'd be going stir crazy if there wasn't one!"

"Oh girl, I feel you. If there was a stage somewhere on these islands, I'd likely be dancing on it," she said with a giggle. "I'm sure we'll find one soon. Whatever the case, I'm starting to like this whole band idea! It's gonna be so much fun. I'll write some new songs too, it's been awhile since I did that,"

"Great! I really look forward to that now! I'll talk with Byakuya soon, maybe we can find ourselves a drum set and drummer!" she replied, pumping her arm up in excitement!

Just then, Shuichi burst into the park, coming to a stop near them before bending over, clearly out of breath and exhausted. "I think...I managed to lose her after all..."

"Shuchi?! What's the matter, is someone chasing you?" Sayaka cried, a worried look on her face.

"Huh?" Shuichi started, looking up as he just now noticed them. He immediately straightened himself out, smoothing out his jacket as he tried to preserve some sense of decorum. "Oh, s-sorry, didn't see you two there..." he mumbled, looking faintly embarrassed.

"What's wrong, Shuichi? Are you okay?" Kaede asked, standing up from the bench to make her way over to him.

"Oh, it's, um...well, it's Toko," he admitted after a moment. "She's been...acting weird since breakfast. I started noticing she was...following me around. I tried losing her but she was...persistent. I finally confronted her, to see what was going on, and..."

He trailed off, heaving a heavy sigh before quietly finishing with, "...I think Toko has a crush on me..."

"Aw, that's so cute~" Sayaka said happily. "Though it is a bit weird... she just followed you everywhere?"

"That's it? Really?" Kaede couldn't help but ask, giggling a little. "You really had me worried there Shuichi! Though that is a bit strange. Then again, Toko isn't entirely...normal, from what I've seen."

"Yeah...she had this weird look on her face too, and she was breathing pretty heavily..." Shuichi replied, looking away nervously. "And when I did confront her she...she called me...'Master'..."

"Yeah, that's not weird at all," the idol said, looking at Kaede. "It reminds me of one of my fans, actually."

"Okay, yeah, that is kind of concerning," Kaede noted. "Well, maybe I can talk with her later about it. She might just not be used to showing her...feelings in a normal, healthy manner. I'm sure she doesn't realize just how weird she might be coming off as."

"Yes, she's probably just confused. She seems like a nice person, and is probably a recluse. I feel bad for those kinds of people. Social Anxiety isn't a fun thing to have," the idol said, placing a hand on Shuichi's shoulder. "Don't you worry Shuchi, me and Kaede will talk to her about it. We'll let you know what she says,"

"Th-thanks. I'd really appreciate that," Shuichi said, a relieved smile on his face. "I mean, I don't know if I could feel the same way about her, but...well, she is coming off kind of strong."

"It's no problem, Shuichi! Sayaka and I will get to the bottom of this for sure!" Kaede declared with a bright grin. "Just leave it to us!"

* * *

_1:27 PM, Day 2_

_Hotel Restaurant, Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

Akane feasted eagerly on the food before her, wolfing down an early lunch. She was hoping to get some food in her belly before beating Mukuro's ass, and Teruteru had been more than happy to cook for her. The chef in question was seated across from her, eating his own meal while also admiring her assets: something Akane wasn't too bothered by.

The pair were interrupted though, when Miu came storming into the restaurant.

"I cannot fucking believe this shit!" she snapped, as she looked at herself. It seemed she had been forced to wear a uniform, at Usami's command: but the uniform she had on was...unorthodox, to say the least.

It was a sleeveless, strapless leotard, that hugged her curves nicely. Her bountiful breasts were slightly squished, the button holding them back threatening to pop off. The outfit was pink in color, with various shapes embroidered into the material. She was also wearing a pair of black fishnet stockings, and glossy pink stilettos. Atop her head, she was wearing a pair of bunny ears, her outfit also had a small tail right on her behind. Her lengthy hair had been straightened, and allowed to fall perfectly down her back.

"H-Honestly, if it wasn't because my life was on the line, I'd take this fuckin shit off. What kind of person forces someone to d-dress like this?!" Miu thundered, her face beet red.

Akane and Teruteru looked Miu over for a good minute, paying particular attention to her outfit. Teruteru himself had a grand smile on his face as he checked her out.

"Well, _mon cheri_, I don't know about that. You look absolutely ravishing in that outfit!" he gladly praised, shamelessly eyeing her up and down. "Yes, simply breathtaking!"

"D-Do I really?" she asked, almost softly as she looked at him. She noticed his perverted look, and her nervousness swiftly turned into anger. "You fuckin perv! You're just happy because my tits are almost hanging out!"

"Well, just because I'm happy to observe your body, doesn't mean I don't think you look great in that," Teruteru proclaimed, giving her a charming grin as he leaned back in his chair. "Which you do, by the way. It looks great on you! Really helps accentuate your natural beauty, Miu!"

"Hmph, I don't know about that. I wouldn't be caught dead in something like that!" Akane interjected, looking over at her with a smirk. "Though it does offer a nice view, I'll say."

"I-I'm only wearing this because I don't have an option!" Miu retorted, looking away from the two. "That stupid rabbit said if I didn't, she'd blow my lid off, and I don't want that to happen."

"Of course not, _mon cheri_! Still, you do look ravishing in that outfit!" Teruteru praised some more. A moment later though he abruptly stood up. "Oh, where are my manners! Can I fix you up anything to eat? It'll be no trouble at all for me!"

"I suppose I wouldn't mind something to eat. It's been a long time since breakfast. I think a steak will do just fine. I'm fuckin starving!" Miu allowed, a hungry look on her face. "Maybe some steamed vegetables on the side... and some lamb sauce,"

"Oh ho! A woman after my own heart, I see!" Teruteru proclaimed with a grin. "I'll be back in a jiffy then!"

That said, he dashed off with surprising speed into the kitchen, leaving Miu and Akane alone.

"Well, I think I know where all that's gonna end up going," Akane murmured to herself, eyeing Miu's breasts. "Seriously, I never met someone with bigger tits than me until you."

"R-really? Uh, I mean, of course! These babies are the biggest pair of tits you'll find here! And I'm very proud of 'em!" Miu declared, giving a triumphant laugh. "You can stare all you want of course, but you'll have to beg to touch 'em!"

Akane snorted at that, an amused grin on her face. Glanced over at Miu again, her eyes lecherously lingering over her body. "Is that so? Well, too bad I'm not the begging type."

Hm, even when she was being kind of a jackass, Miu was actually kind of enjoyable, she had to admit. Besides, the poor girl was trying to make the best of things: honestly, Akane wasn't sure at all how she'd have reacted if Usami had strapped a bomb to her neck.

"Ha! Well I'm sure I can change that! After all, I am a gorgeous girl ge—fuck!" Miu cut herself off, wincing as she clutched at her head. "Ow, shit! G-goddamn stupid migraine! Wh-why do I keep getting these stupid fucking things?!"

"You okay? Do you need me to get Mikan or something?" Akane immediately asked, tensing slightly as she observed her.

Miu winced again, but shook her head after a moment. "Nah, I can...handle it. Just...these stupid fucking headaches come out of nowhere all the goddamn time, especially when I'm trying to remember shit. Fuck, this is annoying!"

"Come on, why don't you take a seat next to me? Getting off your feet might help," Akane offered, pulling out a chair next to her. Miu gave a numb nod and took the offered seat.

A moment of silence passed between the two of them, before Akane spoke up. "What do you remember, anyway? Is your past one big blur, or is it just your talent?"

"It's...hard to say? I remember my Mom, and most of my childhood...but then after a certain point my memories get all fuzzy, and it's all just one big jumbled mess. It's like...someone scrambled up my memories after a certain point, making it hard to recall anything at all. Sometimes I feel like I'm just about to remember something...but then that migraine comes back, and I'm sent back to square one," Miu replied at length, scowling a little.

Akane couldn't even begin to imagine how awful that would be. She'd had a few head injuries and trauma in the past, sure, but nothing like what Miu was suffering through.

At the same time though...well, sometimes Akane wished she could forget about her past. Or at least, some very specific events.

"Not gonna lie, that sounds really rough," she acknowledged. "Wish I could help you out, but that's far beyond my own expertise. Still, if you ever need someone to help take your mind off that shit, I'll be ready with a bottle of booze. Nothing like some good beer to lighten the mood!"

Miu blinked at that, but her lips slowly curved into a genuine smile. She looked away rather shyly after a moment, a finger twirling a lock of blonde hair. "W-well, I g-guess that doesn't sound too bad. J-just don't get the cheap stuff or anything! Only the finest of beers will satisfy this gorgeous babe!"

Akane laughed at that, and opened her mouth to reply—

_"Aww, am I ruining a touching moment?"_ suddenly came the familiar voice of Usami.

Akane jumped back a little, startled as she noticed Usami now standing between the two of them, resting on top of the table. She narrowed her eyes at the rabbit, resisting the urge to punch her away.

"AHHH! Wh-what do you want? I'm being a good girl see? I'm wearing the outfit just like you ordered me too!" Miu immediately cried, backing away in her chair from the rabbit.

_"That you are, Miu! And I'm very happy about that! I just wanted to let you know that I've gone ahead and taken the liberty of replacing all your clothes with copies of your uniform! You don't need to be wearing anything else. Showing off your ugly, slutty body is your top priority as a member of Staff! That's all a stupid whorish cow like you is good for, after all!"_ Usami declared, giving an impish giggle.

Akane eyed the rabbit with supreme distaste, the urge to beat her senseless rising within her. Still, she managed to hold herself back. "Oh piss off already, you've bullied her enough already, haven't you?"

"U-ugly whorish cow? Oh, I am one aren't I? That's why I have to wear this, because I'm a slut," she said in a dejected tone, bowing her head in shame.

_"You got that right! And don't you forget it!"_ Usami declared, before scampering off, leaving them alone.

Another moment of silence passed before Akane let out an aggravated sigh. "Goddamn rabbit. What I wouldn't give to kick her into space..."

"Don't... she'll certainly kill you. It's best if you just do as she asks... less people will die that way," Miu replied, not taking her gaze off the table. "Believe me, I've thought of punting her to the sun, but I know for a fact that would be my own death."

Then, in a quieter tone she murmured, "It's not even fun getting degraded by her...not anymore, at least...sh-she just says it so harshly…"

Akane grumbled to herself, but couldn't exactly refute what Miu said. Before she could reply, the door to the kitchen opened and Teruteru came out carrying a plate of food.

"Lunch is served, darling! ...ah, did I miss something?" Teruteru inquired, seeming to sense the negative energy in the room.

"It's nothing, Teru. Listen Miu, forget all about Usami, and just enjoy your food. That'll make you feel better! It always does for me," Akane said, giving her a light pat on the back. "Besides, we can't let this food go to waste now!"

"You're right! I'm not gonna let that bucket of bolts down talk me! Besides, I'm fucking starving!" she said excitedly, grabbing a hold of the plate.

With a slight smile, she started digging into her food, putting her troubled behind her: for now.

* * *

_2:45 PM, Day 2_

_Rocketpunch Market_

_1st Island_

With her official duties as a 'Staff' member now started, Mukuro found herself patrolling the island, wandering from place to place, until she found herself getting peckish for a snack. That in mind, she soon walked over to the market on the first island, hoping to find something there to satiate her hunger.

"Good afternoon Mukuro! I wasn't expecting to run into you, though I'm quite glad that I did," the voice of Sonia Nevermind stated, causing her to shift her gaze in her direction.

Mukuro blinked, not quite expecting to run into her again. That of course brought back memories of last night...which caused her to stifle a snort.

"Right, Sonia. It's good to see you," she offered. "Can I help you?"

"No... well aside from perhaps getting an opinion on a snack," she said, glancing around at the wide selection. "I've been standing here for 20 minutes trying to decide on something,"

"Really?" Mukuro couldn't help but ask, eyebrows raising in surprise. She glanced toward the particular selection of chips she had stopped in front of. "Well, when in doubt, go with Pringle's I suppose. They are my preferred brand of chips."

"I see... well I suppose I can give them a try. Hopefully my hand is small enough to fit in that can," the princess said, grabbing one of the crimson cans of chips. "So what brings you here? I'm assuming you are also famished?"

"More or less. I wanted to have a few snacks while I had the chance. Plus that stupid fight with Akane is coming up soon, and I don't like fighting on an empty stomach: even if it won't be that long of a match," she replied, giving a confident little smirk.

"Quite right, I honestly don't understand what the fuss is all about. I would have thought a woman like her would be alright with being nude," Sonia said, tapping her finger to her cheek. "Before I forget, I have a bit of an odd request for you, if you wish to hear me out,"

"I think she was more upset I beat her in a fight, more than anything else," Mukuro replied. "And what is it?"

"Well as you know, I am a princess. In Novoselic, children are taught self defense when they are quite young. With the onset of this game, I've decided to start training again. I would like for you to be my sparring partner, if you are willing of course!" she said giving her a hopeful look. "I'd really appreciate it if you'd say yes, but I won't force it upon you,"

Mukuro stared over at her, studying Sonia as she considered her response. She knew a little about Novoselic: mainly that the higher ups in Fenrir loved to recruit ex military officers from there. At the same time though, she wondered how serious Sonia was being here. She couldn't help but feel the princess was just trying to play soldier, and she didn't have time for that.

"Tell you what: if you really want me to be your sparring partner, show me what you got right now. I need to know if you're up to my level before anything else," Mukuro replied after a moment, crossing her arms.

"I suppose I can do that," she replied, setting her Pringle's can down. "So, do I just... come at you?" she asked curiously.

"Sure, go ahead. A few punches from you ought to be enough to get a feel of your level," Mukuro confirmed. She of course highly doubted Sonia would be able to land a hit on her, but perhaps she could find out just how serious the princess was about this.

Sonia loosened herself a bit, cracking her knuckles. Mukuro quirked a brow but said nothing as the princess threw her first attack. Mukuro easily dodged it, catching her follow up punch. Sonia let out a hiss, aiming for a leg sweep, which the Soldier was able to avoid. Mukuro threw her own punch, nailing directly in the stomach. Sonia winced in pain, doubling over slightly as she clutched at her stomach.

"Ow! Dammit... you've got quite the punch!" she said, her voice carrying an odd tone of excitement.

Mukuro gave an idle nod in response, shaking her hand slightly as she considered Sonia. She had to admit, she was fairly surprised: the princess definitely had experience, that was for sure. She wasn't close to her own level, but against a regular civilian? Sonia would dominate easily.

"Not bad, Sonia. You're a lot better than I thought," Mukuro admitted, dropping her fighting stance. "I'm more than fine being your sparring partner. Besides Akane, you might be the only person here they can keep up with me."

"Excellent! That is all that I ask, perhaps I can improve on what I already know, and learn more from you as well. There's always room for improvement after all!" Sonia said excitedly.

"That there is," Mukuro replied, giving a slight nod. She opened her mouth to speak further, but paused when she heard a strange sound nearby. "...Did you hear that?"

Mukuro narrowed her eyes and marched on over to where she thought the sound came from, determined to investigate. What she found was...unexpected, however. One of the vending machines in the back of the store had opened up, revealing a hidden passage. A staircase could be seen, leading down into a black abyss…

"W-what? A secret passage?" Sonia asked, eyes widened in shock. She slowly turned to Mukuro, who had a firm look on her face. "Where do you think it leads?"

"I'm not sure...but I'm going to find out," Mukuro declared, a firm look on her face. "You can leave or follow me if you want, but I'm investigating this."

"Are you kidding? Of course I'm tagging along! This is like those Saturday morning cartoons I used to watch when I was a little girl! All we need now is a talking dog and a stoner and we'd have a decent gang to explore this place with!"

Mukuro blinked rapidly, staring oddly at Sonia before giving a shrug. "Right..."

That said, she turned her attention back to the stairs, and got out her pad. Using its flashlight function, she started making her way down the stairs, into the dark depths below. It didn't take long to reach the bottom, whereupon both she and Sonia saw what was down there.

A giant computer monitor and accompanying keyboard took up a good portion of the area, and the lit computer monitor provided the only other source of light in the room. On the monitor itself, they'd see several different images split up across the screen, and not just any images: Mukuro realized with a start that they were watching security camera footage. One section showed the hotel lobby, another the beach, another switched back and forth between the cabins, and other sections displayed camera feeds of locations they hadn't even seen yet: the other islands, presumably.

"This is... the mastermind's lair?" Sonia said softly, turning to Mukuro. "Do you know what this means? The one responsible for all of this... this must be their base of operations!"

"It must be," Mukuro nodded, gritting her teeth as she stared up at the screen. "We've got to go find the others, fast. No, wait...not everyone, that'd only tip Usami off. Maybe we should go find Chihiro, and bring her here: maybe she can—!"

Mukuro cut herself off with a scream, as volts of electricity suddenly coursed through her body! She dropped to the ground, shuddering in pain as her collar shocked her! Before the pain grew to be too much, however, it abruptly stopped, leaving her gasping for air.

"Well now, this is troublesome. Neither of you are supposed to be here," a voice proclaimed. Someone stepped out of the shadows covering the back of the room, though the darkness itself still obscured their face. "How did you even get in here? Hmph, that's the last time I outsource help in creating an underground base. I knew Miu and Peko were too amateur for their own good."

"What... who the hell are you? What did you do to Mukuro?!" Sonia cried, raising her hands up, preparing to fight if she had to. "Are you the one responsible for trapping us here?"

"Hmph, a certain someone is gonna answer for this later. It's their job to keep an eye on everyone, after all," the mysterious figure huffed, completely ignoring Sonia. A sigh escaped them after a moment, and they stepped closer towards them, revealing their face. "Oh well, I suppose it doesn't really matter. After all...neither of you are going to remember this."

That said, they pointed something at Mukuro and Sonia both: a strange object, that appeared to be some sort of bulky flashlight. Then, a brilliant white light consumed their world.

...

Mukuro found herself blinking rapidly, giving a small start as she came to her senses. She and Sonia where still in the market, standing right besides a vending machine in the back. "...What was that? Did I...space out?"

"My apologies, I believe I spaced out as well... I don't even remember what I asked you beforehand," Sonia replied, shaking her head.

Mukuro furrowed her brow in concern, before her pad started beeping. She brought it out, stopping the alarm and double checking the time. "Well whatever it was, it doesn't matter. It's time for my 'rematch' with Akane, so I need to get going. We'll have to schedule a sparring session for tomorrow."

"Of course. I'm usually up at the crack of ass, so we could spar then! I wish you good luck with your fight!" Sonia said.

Before Mukuro knew what was happening, the princess placed two kisses on her cheeks, then grabbed her Pringle's can. She headed out of the store, a visible spring in her step.

* * *

_With special thanks to CSD for helping me write this chapter!_

* * *

_Review Responses:_

_JC: Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying things so far!_

_Kobold: Haha, thanks! I know Cel and I had a blast writing that scene!_

_Crit: Thanks! It's been real fun coming up with all these subtle differences from Canon._

_ D-Kirb: Yeah, I gotta admit, the bond those three have is a lot more fun than I imagined it'd be!_

_CSD: Thanks for your help man! And thanks, I gotta admit, I'm sort of a fan of pre-reveal Tsumugi. _

_Trust: The More You Know! Always happy to elaborate on Novoselic's proud and distinguished history!_


	10. Blood Moon Rising, 1-5

_3:14 PM, Day 2_

_Jabberwock Beach_

_1st Island_

Mukuro couldn't help but wonder how she had even gotten into this absurd situation: she hadn't asked for this 'rematch', and she certainly had no interest in fighting Akane. Still...here she was, on the beach, about to face off against her self-declared foe.

In a bikini. Covered in baby oil.

Wherever Junko was right now, she was surely laughing at her plight.

"Okay...remind me again why we're in bikinis? And covered in baby oil?" she couldn't help but ask, giving Akane an exasperated stare.

The girl in question, who was likewise clad in similar attire, gave a simple scoff in response. "Have you not been paying attention Mukky? The baby oil is to make it a more difficult fight, making it harder for either of us to get a proper grip on the other. Plus, well...I mean, do you _want_ this stuff to get on your regular clothes? 'Cause I certainly don't."

Okay, that was a fair point. And it made its own twisted sort of sense. However, the pointed stares of the crowd around them—particularly the heated stares of nearly every boy on the island—as well as the faint whispers and snickering she could hear, well...it reminded her of another pointed matter.

"Okay, but why are we wearing _microbikinis_?!" she exclaimed, her face flushed in embarrassment as she stomped her foot on the ground. Indeed, they were both wearing scantily-clad swimwear, even for bikinis: the whole thing was barely big enough to cover her privates! "There were more traditional swimsuits in the market, I know, I saw them!"

"Yeah, you see, that was your first mistake: letting me dictate every piece of this rematch. If you'd taken it more seriously, maybe you could have spoken up before now," Akane retorted, giving an amused snicker. She stretched out her back, the movement threatening to snap the poorly made fabric holding her bikini in place.

...Clever girl.

"You're fucking with me," Mukuro voiced her realization aloud, incredulity filling her voice. "Oh my god, you are _fucking with me!"_

"Yup! Guilty as charged! This is all apart of my revenge, sister! You ain't seen the half of it yet! Just wait till we get to the penalty for the loser!" Akane boasted, outright laughing at her. "And what is that penalty, you may ask? Why it's the loser of this rematch posing naked for Hifumi for a drawing session!"

Mukuro's eyes widened, and she resisted the urge to glance back over at the crowd. While she couldn't say for certain, she was _sure_ she could feel the pointed gaze of Hifumi Yamada on her body. That and the thought of posing naked for _him _of all people made her skin crawl in revulsion.

She caught sight of Usami in the corner of her eye, the rabbit staring at them while munching on a bucket of popcorn, somehow. An ember of hope burned in her heart, and Mukuro quickly declared,

"Wait! I'm a member of Staff, and it's against the rules to hurt us! Isn't that right, Usami?"

"_Usually it is, but imma let this slide in this case! So feel free to beat the shit out of her, Akane! Raw raw, fight fight fight!" _Usami happily cheered, cackling all the while.

...Okay, time for Plan B then!

"I-I never agreed to any of this! At all! Nothing says I have to do that at all!" she swiftly stated, trying to project an aura of confidence. "What on earth could you do to actually make me go through with something like that?!"

Akane just gave her a knowing stare and offered her a fanged smile. "Oh, I know there's no way I could _force_ you to go through with that. But ask yourself this: would your _pride_ as a soldier really let you back out now? Out of the penalty, out of our fight, out of _any_ of this?"

….

Oh god, _damn _it!

Mukuro felt something _snap _inside of her, and a cold fury started to envelop her. She smiled wide at Akane, and proclaimed, "I'm going to break you now. And I'm going to enjoy it very, _very_ much."

"Um, excuse me?" Kaede spoke up, looking between the two of them. In the end, she'd been chosen as the referee for the match, given both her leadership position and the fact that both girls didn't distrust her. However, Kaede hadn't been too happy about it: namely because—

"Okay, I understand why you two are wearing bikinis, _but why am I in one too?!" _she groaned, glancing down in obvious embarrassment at her—admittedly modest by comparison—swimsuit. "I mean, I'm the referee, not a participant!"

"Don't question it now, Kaede! Just go with the flow! Embrace your inner fanservice, and let it consume you!" Tsumugi cheered from within the crowd. "Besides, I thought it'd help make you match!"

"Tsumugi, I swear to god I am going to _strangle_ you—!"

Mukuro couldn't wait any longer at that point, and dashed forward, charging headlong at Akane. She, in turn, ran ahead, a savage grin on her face as they raced toward collision.

Mukuro moved to jump over Akane at the last minute, intent on landing behind her and sweeping her off of her feet—but Akane reached out and grabbed her leg before she could land. Before Mukuro knew it, she was being swung around, before Akane abruptly threw her away, leading her to tumble harshly against the sand of the beach.

Mukuro grit her teeth, and sprung back up almost instantly before Akane could capitalize on her fall. The two of them started circling each other watching the other warily as they calculated their next move. Akane lashed out first, though she saw it coming, and was thus able to dodge out of the way. In turn, Mukuro threw an uppercut at Akane, which she also managed to avoid.

That instigated a whole round of kicks, punches, leaps, and other movements, their bodies launching out a flurry of blows. Akane managed to dodge or counter most of her strikes, and Mukuro was much the same, making their superhuman exchange of blows dead even. Finally, Mukuro and Akane threw their fists forward at the same time, their punches colliding together and creating a shock-wave of air that blasted out around them.

They both leaped backwards after that, breathing heavily as they stared each other down. For her part, Mukuro offered Akane a small smirk as she studied her opponent. "I have to admit, you're pretty talented when you go all out. For a novice, you aren't bad at all. Perhaps before I joined Fenrir, you'd have been able to beat me."

"Ha! You're certainly confident, I'll give you that much!" Akane exclaimed in response, letting out a laugh. "But unless I was seein' things, we're about evenly matched right now. Don't go planning your victory speech just yet!"

"I suppose it shows what little you know, if you think you've got a chance of victory at this. I'm more proficient with firearms, sure, but I know enough about hand-to-hand combat to take you down easily. After all, I trained under the Ultimate Martial Artist before I joined Fenrir," Mukuro proclaimed as her smirk widened into a vicious grin.

That said, Mukuro broke into a sudden sprint, dashing at Akane before the other girl could react. With her amazing speed, she was able to slam into Akane and knock her to the sand below, as she sought to pin her to the ground.

Of course, that was easier said than done—as Mukuro soon found out, the baby oil they were both coated with make it extremely difficult to get a good grip on Akane. It didn't help either that the girl below her kept squirming and thrashing, doing her best to throw her off of her.

During the scuffle Akane's bikini top was pushed past its limit, and burst apart at the seams, the resulting force flinging it right into her face. Mukuro was temporarily blinded by the broken fabric, and before she could tear it off, Akane seized her chance to turn the tables on her.

She managed to break her arms free and soon Mukuro felt her body being grabbed and turned around, as Akane used her momentum to roll themselves over, putting her on top and Mukuro on the bottom. By that point, Mukuro had gotten the fabric off of her face, but now she had to put all of her energy in trying to resist Akane's attempts to pin her...as well as try and _not _get suffocated by the bare breasts that hung perilously close towards her face.

"Not so high and mighty now, are ya? You've given me a really good fight, but I think it's time to end this!" Akane boasted.

She kept on talking, but Mukuro stopped paying attention to her at that point, busy as she was with struggling underneath Akane. Whereas she had struggled to get a good grip on Akane's skin though, the girl in question wasn't having nearly as much difficulty—perhaps she was experienced in fighting an opponent covered in baby-oil.

Regardless, Mukuro knew she needed to act now, lest she loses this bout. So she did the first thing that came to mind. She struggled to get a leg free, and when she did, she lashed out to hit Akane square in her groin.

Akane wasn't a man, so it wasn't nearly as debilitating of a strike as it might have otherwise been. Regardless of gender, though, getting hit between the legs still _hurt. _Akane let out a hiss of pain and loosened her grip enough where Mukuro could spring free.

She burst out from Akane's arms and seized the chance to flip themselves over once again. This time though Mukuro made sure to shove Akane face-first against the sand, using the weight of her body to pin her arms behind her back and push her upper torso against the ground.

"Say uncle, or I suffocate you with sand until you pass out," Mukuro demanded, before shoving against Akane again. She was well experienced with how long it took to make a human being pass out due to oxygen deprivation, and so she knew Akane wouldn't last long at all.

She gave Akane ten seconds, before using a hand to pull on her hair, forcing her head backwards and giving her a brief breath of fresh air. Akane held through at first, but when Mukuro brought her up for air a third time, she finally cried out, "Fuck, you win! Uncle, uncle!"

And just like that, it was over. Mukuro let her go and rolled off of her, breathing heavily as she finally let herself relax. She was tired, sore, sweaty, sand was _everywhere _on and in her, she was covered in this sticky and frankly gross-feeling baby-oil...and to add insult to injury, her bikini had been torn off at some point.

But at that moment, Mukuro didn't care at all. Instead, she let a victorious grin flash across her face, as she glanced at the equally exhausted Akane.

"And that," Mukuro declared, "Is why you don't mess with the Ultimate Soldier."

* * *

_4:35 PM, Day 2_

_Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

Some time had passed since Mukuro and Akane's fabled rematch, though Toko hadn't seen it herself. At least, she hadn't stayed long enough to watch it. She'd checked to see if Shuichi was there...but alas, he hadn't been, and so she'd left in a disappointed huff.

She was already pondering on where he might be now, and how she could maybe find him when she heard a knock at the door to her cabin. Toko's heart skipped a beat, and she raced to the door to open it-only to find Kaede and Sayaka in front of her.

"Oh, it's you two," Toko groaned in a dismissive tone. "Wh-what do you want?"

"Um, well, we wanted to talk about your sudden... obsession with Shuichi," Sayaka said gently. "You seem to have taken quite a shine to him. Any particular reason why?"

Toko peered suspiciously at them, narrowing her eyes as she stared at the duo. After a moment she pointed a finger at them and exclaimed, "Y-You're just jealous, aren't you?! Y-You two h-h-harlots are after M-Master Shuichi too!"

"W-Wait, what?" Kaede took a step back, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Uh, that's not what's going on at all, Toko..."

Sayaka gave a nervous smile, eyed the Writer warily. "Oh, I see. You're one of those closet romantics you hear about, after all, it reflects in your writing. Don't worry, we're not after Shuichi or anything like that. We just... wanted to talk about your behavior. Isn't that right, Kaede?" She quickly asked her.

"Y-Yeah, that's right. Don't worry Toko! We're not...after Shuichi or anything like that," Kaede agreed, nodding her head.

Toko gave them a skeptical look in response, biting her thumb anxiously as she considered their words. After giving out a slight growl, she gave a heated sigh. "F-Fine, l-let's say I believe you...wh-what's there to talk about, anyway?"

Sayaka shot her companion a nervous look, before clearing her throat. "Well, while there's nothing wrong with having a simple crush on a boy, don't you think you're taking it a bit too far? Do you really have to follow him everywhere? I think it's starting to creep him out... you aren't turning into what they call a yandere, are you?" she asked, concerned. "I had a few fans like that once. Believe me, nobody likes a stalker."

"I don't know what a 'yandere' is, but it sounds like anime trash and you should feel bad for knowing that term," came Toko's knee-jerk response.

"L-Listen, Toko...Shuichi ah, was kind of concerned about all this. You know...following him around. Maybe you could...tone it down a little?" Kaede hesitantly suggested, looking rather nervous herself.

"H-How could I possibly tone it down?! I-I must profess my love to Master Shuichi, h-h-however I can!" Toko exclaimed, giving a frustrated growl. "A-And it's not a simple 'crush', you blue-haired bimbo! I-It's true l-l-l-love!"

"But... you met him, like, a few days ago! That's not true love!" Sayaka retorted somewhat defensively. "Well, let me ask you this: do you actually love him for who he is, or do you just love the idea of him? Tell me, what's his favorite color? Does he have any siblings? What are his goals in life? If you can actually answer any of those questions, I'll concede. But I don't think you can, because you haven't even gotten to know him yet."

"Blue, he's an only child, and he wants to work with his uncle in his private detective agency after finishing his education," Toko listed off with ease.

A long moment of silence passed, as Kaede exchanged a bewildered look with Sayaka. "Um...Toko...f-forgive me, but, h-how do you know all that?"

"I-It was pretty easy, the fi-!" Toko started to reply, but cut herself short. She paused, before hurriedly declaring, "I-I mean, it's because I love him! Of c-c-course I know th-this stuff about h-him! I'm n-not some sl-slut who doesn't bother to l-learn stuff like this!"

"Still...you haven't known him long...and I uh, doubt he knows as much about you as you apparently do him" Kaede pointed out with a sigh. "Jeez, what made you like him in the first place? I mean, I kinda remember you bad-mouthing him just yesterday."

"Well, I suppose he does have that 'mysterious emo' vibe about him... maybe that's it?" Sayaka mused thoughtfully. "Oh, or maybe it's that hat and bangs? Those eyelashes are quite adorable too! Is that what made you head over heels for him? I suppose I can understand that!" she tried to reason.

"Y-Yeah...M-Master Shuichi has a real dark and mysterious aura to him. A-And, he looks really cute and handsome..." Toko trailed off, her face flushed as she adopted a rather perverted expression. She giggled to herself, imagining something or another before she abruptly shook her head.

"I-It was none of that, though. It was...well...a-after I fainted, he carried me all the way to m-my room here. And...w-w-well, it was so chivalrous and...r-r-romantic of him! A-And then he came back to ch-check up on me! I was...i-it really got my heart pounding..." she elaborated, giving a dreamy sigh as her mind conjured up the events of the prior day...

_Toko found herself waking up with a start, eyes wide as she took in her surroundings. She'd been taken back to her cabin, that much she could tell. She was surprised, however, to see someone was there with her._

_Sitting on the side of her bed was the most handsome man in the world: he had a face that looked to be sculpted from God himself and wore a mysterious yet alluring pinstripe suit and hat. His grey orbs stared down at her hungrily, observing her with keen interest._

"_Sh-Shuichi? What are you doing here?" Toko could not help but stutter, stunned as she was by his magnificence. _

"_Why wouldn't I be here? You did faint earlier, and I had to carry you here all by myself. I just wanted to stay and check up on you," Shuichi breathily declared, leaning closer toward her. _

"_Y-You carried me all the way here? By yourself?" she stuttered out, her cheeks breaking out into a full blush. At the same time, she felt a certain stirring within her loins: her body was swept up by a bevy of feelings she hadn't felt in such a long time! "Oh my, y-you didn't have to do that!"_

_He shook his head, giving a mirthful chuckle as he leaned ever so closer. "But how could I just leave you there? I'm not the type of man who just abandons a beautiful young woman in her time of need."_

"_B-Beautiful?" she squeaked out, feeling faint and out of sorts. _

"_Oh, yes. In fact, I daresay you're the most beautiful creature on this island!" Shuichi grandly proclaimed, a charming grin on his handsome face. He reached over with a hand, gently cupping her cheek, his fingers softly stroking her skin. "You're so beautiful that I can hardly contain myself over here."_

_Toko let out a shaky moan, her legs rubbing together anxiously while her mind was awhirl with confused and conflicted feelings. "I-I don't know what to say! Th-this is all so...s-s-sudden…"_

"_Then don't say a word," Shuichi stated, aligning his face with her own. He pressed forward, his lips mere inches away from her own. "Let our bodies...do the talking."_

_With that said, he pressed his lips hungrily against her own, and Toko felt herself submitting completely to him. She gladly kissed him back and-_

"Uh, hello? Earth to Toko?" Kaede waved a hand in front of her, snapping Toko back to reality.

Sayaka sighed, shaking her head. "I fear this was a waste of time. Her mind is made up." Sayaka frowned, considering Toko for a moment. "Well, let's come to a compromise. Why don't you try talking to him, and start out as friends? Maybe ask him to dinner? You may know about him, but Shuichi does not know too much about you."

"That's...not a b-b-bad idea, actually..." Toko murmured to herself, rather surprised that she could come up with such a good suggestion. "I...th-think I'll do that! Shit, now I gotta think over wh-what I'm gonna say to him..."

"Ah, well, I guess all's well that ends well?" Kaede said, giving a slight shrug. "Well, I guess we'll see you at dinner, Toko. Just, ah, remember: don't try and creep out Shuichi, okay?"

"O-Of course not! I'd n-never do that to my Master! Y-You got a lot of nerve! Y-You're just saying that because you want Master, after all, d-don't you?! W-Well, I'm not gonna let a big breasted freak like you get him! Master Shuichi is mine!" Toko declared with venomous thunder in her tone.

"Excuse me?!" Kaede reared back with shock, evidently surprised at the 180 the conversation had taken. "Wait, Toko, I'm not-!"

Before Kaede could finish talking though, Toko had enough of them, and slammed the door shut, quickly retreating back into her cabin.

* * *

_5:39 PM, Day 2_

_Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

Well, this was _humiliating. _Akane had one chance at her big comeback, and Mukuro had _still _kicked her ass, the goddamn bitch. Still, at least it'd been a fair fight this time around: she hadn't been ambushed or anything. So she couldn't really complain this time around.

Well, okay, she still would, but she was a sore loser damn it!

Of course, her humiliation hadn't ended with just losing to Mukuro. No, she'd been cocky enough to add a stupid penalty into the mix: so here she was now, posing naked in front of Hifumi Yamada in his cabin as he drew her.

She had to admit though...this wasn't exactly going the way she thought it would.

"Please Miss Owari, keep still!" the boy in question instructed, as he furiously drew on his sketchpad.

Akane grit her teeth while also rolling her eyes, but she complied with him all the same. She glanced over at him after a minute though, eyeing him curiously.

Given both his appearance and professed talent, Akane had developed a lot of assumptions about Hifumi Yamada, the Ultimate Doujin Artist. She'd figured he'd be a perverted weeb of the highest order, looking to perv on girls whenever he got the chance, and turning to his manga and anime when he couldn't. And maybe he was actually a good artist somewhere in there too, but for whatever reason he just used his talent to create porn and smut.

She'd been right about the weeb part of course, and even a bit about his perverse nature. But...well, it seemed she'd gotten a lot about him wrong.

"You're not what I expected, you know," Akane finally voiced aloud, unable to contain herself.

Hifumi finally paused in his drawing, and he looked up at her, his beady eyes hidden by the thick lenses of his glasses. "Oh?"

"Yeah. I'll be honest, I was expecting you to openly ogle my body, maybe even try shit if you felt suicidal, but...well, you're not," she elaborated.

"Miss Owari! How _dare_ you! Why, the _nerve_ of your misguided beliefs! As I've said time and again, my one true love is for 2D girls! I care not one bit about the women of the 3D world!" Hifumi proclaimed, puffing up his chest as he glared upward at her. "So long as I love anime and manga, 2D shall be the love of my life!"

"...Oh, right, you did say that before. Not gonna lie, I just thought you were bullshiting us or something," Akane confessed, giving him a slight smirk.

Hifumi's face grew quite red at that, and he proceeded to ramble on and on about the benefits of the 2D world and the women there, but Akane found herself tuning him out. Not on purpose of course but...well, Hifumi could be pretty long-winded.

Still, it made her wonder...

"Okay, so if you don't care about real girls, why'd you even agree to this in the first place? I mean, why need a nude model at all?" she finally asked, cutting his tirade short.

Hifumi paused, correcting his glasses before he started speaking again. "...Well, I do find that it helps sometimes to have a live reference point for my drawings, especially for women. It's a rare chance that I get to do something like this. Most women are...not appreciative of my offers, even when it's clothed modeling most of the time. And I despise the very thought of using live porn as reference material! I mean, I know that hentai and doujins are literally not real, but the porn industry and the material it churns out feels so...fake and devoid of any actual life. And at the end of the day, I want my drawings to come from a place of passion!"

Akane raised an eyebrow at that. She...could kind of get where he was coming from. The few pornos she'd seen in real life always had this fake quality to it, it never felt real or true to life. It always lacked the sort of spark that one would see in real, natural sexual encounters.

Not to mention, she'd been forced into a few black market videos back in Roanapur. So Akane was distinctly biased _against_ the porn industry.

"I get that, kind of. But porn stars aren't the only reference material you know. There's other media out there with more natural depictions of nudity and sexuality you could always draw from," she couldn't help but point out.

Hifumi gave her an acknowledging nod, setting down his sketchpad as he gave up—for the moment—any pretense of drawing her. "Yes, that is true, but it still doesn't feel quite...right. It might sound funny, but I prefer the idea of sketching something you can see with your own two eyes, rather than a picture from the Internet or something. If I'm drawing something from real life, I want it to be right in front of me, so I can capture its raw, natural beauty! Otherwise, it just feels like a cheap imitation of a pixelated image."

"I see, I see..." Akane closed her eyes in thought, before flashing him a mischievous smirk. "So you just want an excuse to see a real girl naked after all!"

Hifumi reared up in shock, an affronted look on his face as he screeched at her, rambling on again about his preference and true love for anime girls, or something. Akane wasn't too sure, chuckling a little as she tuned him out.

It might be bad of her, but she just couldn't help it. It was far too easy to get a rise out of him. His buttons were fairly obvious to see and push once you understood them.

"Oh calm down. I'm just messin' with ya," she finally declared, interrupting his grandiose speech.

Hifumi huffed in response, but didn't seem that bothered all the same. He didn't reach for his sketchbook right away, however, instead peering curiously up at her.

"I have to admit...I'm curious about something myself. I mean...you didn't _have _to do this. I would have been fine if you didn't want to go through with this 'bet' and all. In fact, it's honestly what I expected." he said.

"Eh, I don't renege on bets after I make 'em. Besides, I wasn't too bothered by it. I mean, I'm pissed that Mukuro beat me _again..._but that's about it really," Akane replied, giving a light shrug. After a moment she offered him a fanged smile. "Besides, I'm kinda glad I did. Now I know what makes you tick, Hifumi."

"A-ah, well, thank you Miss Owari," he stuttered out, a blush, of all things, crossing his cheeks.

Akane couldn't help but chuckle at that. Regardless, Hifumi soon picked his sketchbook back up, and she got into position for him again.

She had to admit...he wasn't so bad after all. A little creepy maybe, with an odd fixation on girls who weren't real...but she'd met people far, far worse than that. Compared to them, Hifumi wasn't all that bad.

* * *

_7:02 PM, Day 2_

_Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

Dinner was fast approaching now, and so Kaede soon made her way over to the hotel restaurant. When she arrived, she already saw most everyone was there: Kiyo and Sonia were sharing a table, an enthusiastic Ibuki was chatting up Mondo and Miu, Hifumi was handing a drawing or something over to a grateful looking Nagito, and Rantaro, Akane, Mikan, and Monaca were all sitting together. Overall, everyone seemed to be quite happy and engaged.

Not long after Kaede spotted Byakuya, Tsumugi, and Shuichi, the three of them sitting together. She smiled at them, grabbing a plate of food from Teruteru before making her way over to their table.

"Evening, guys!" she greeted as she started digging into her food. "What have you all been up to?"

"Oh, not much. I was actually talking with Kiyo earlier; apparently, he's quite interested in comic-cons as it relates to, well, popular culture, and wanted my own personal accounts on them," Tsumugi replied, giving a slight shrug. "I didn't really have any fun stories of them, but he seemed to like it all the same."

Byakuya paused in his eating—well, he wasn't so much as eating the food, as wolfing it down—and dabbed at his lips with a handkerchief, before saying, "I did my duties as assigned to me by Usami, and after that, I helped guide Mistress Monaca to the beach. While she can't swim, she does like to stare out into the water, and I couldn't exactly deny her request."

"I, uh, haven't been up to much other. Did a little exploring around, mostly. I actually came here a little early, and helped Teruteru prepare dinner; I figured I may as well do something useful," Shuichi stated, giving a self-deprecating smile.

"Now now, Master Shuichi, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself!" Byakuya reprimanded. "There's no need to be so dour on your own contributions to the group."

"Yeah, he's right! You should really try to be more confident in yourself, Shuichi!" Kaede encouraged, leaning over to wrap her arm around his shoulder and pull him into a side-hug. "You're a great guy you know, you just need to realize it!"

Shuichi blushed heavily in response to that, which Kaede found utterly adorable and cute! A moment later though, she felt a chill go down her spine, and she suddenly remembered Toko.

After a hesitant pause, she let go of Shuichi, discreetly looking around to make sure that a certain pig-tailed girl wasn't glaring daggers at her or anything. "B-By the way, Sayaka and I managed to go talk with Toko for you. She uh...had some interesting stuff to say. Did she, uh, approach you at all after that?"

"Ah, yes...sh-she did. She wanted to ask me something, but...then she suddenly sneezed, and acted...rather odd. Before I even realized it she darted off, and I haven't seen her since," Shuichi confessed. "In fact, I haven't seen her come to dinner yet."

Kaede nodded, feel rather relieved at that. She _definitely _didn't want to deal with Toko and any accusations of trying to steal 'Master Shuichi' away from her or anything. As if! She...she wasn't even interested in Shuichi like that! No way, no sir! Not at all! He was...just like a little brother to her. Yes, that was it! Just...that.

And nothing more.

….

Okay so _maybe—_

"So, what about you, Kaede?" Tsumugi asked, interrupting her train of thought. "What have you been up to?"

Kaede blinked, and was about to reply, when she remembered something. Tsumugi's words brought her mind back to her conversation with Sayaka: something she'd nearly forgotten about! She hastily stood up, and rapped a fork against her glass, getting everyone's attention.

"Sorry, everyone! There was something Sayaka and I were talking about, and I nearly forgot to mention it!" she explained. "So, we were thinking of maybe hosting a party to celebrate our impending freedom! Sayaka and I were even thinking we could form our own little band, and provide music! I'd be on the piano, Sayaka on vocals, and if Ibuki's willing, she could play the guitar—!"

"Ibuki is very willing! Hell yeah, let's rock!" the girl in question enthused, throwing a hand up into the air.

Kaede chuckled, nodding at her before continuing. "Right, well, just wanted to let you all know! I think having something like that would really help lift up our spirits: besides, I think we could all stand to have a little fun and cut loose! How does that sound?"

"I must say, that is quite the marvelous idea, Mistress Kaede!" Byakuya declared, a soft smile on his face. "Yes, yes, I think that would do nicely. And as the Ultimate Butler, I think I'd be able to pull off catering the event quite well."

"And I'd love to have your help in the kitchen, Byakuya! I'd love to help make the food for this here party!" Teruteru chimed in with a hearty laugh. "Ooh, I'm already getting excited just thinking about it!"

"Where are we gonna hold this party, though? I mean, is it just gonna be here in the restaurant?" Chihiro voiced aloud, tapping a finger to her chin in thought. "Would we even have room to set up any music equipment, though?"

"Mm, Mistress Chihiro brings up a good point. Ah, perhaps the old hotel building?" Byakuya suggested, snapping his fingers. "There's a large dining hall in there that would be more than big enough to host a party. Plus, there's already a piano in there, we wouldn't have to move it at all for a performance."

Kaede beamed at Byakuya, clasping her hands together happily. "Oh, that's perfect, Byakuya! That should work just fine. Plus, I'd hate to make any of you work to move that piano or anything. Yes, that should do it!"

"So when are we holding this party, then? Tomorrow?" questioned Rantaro.

"Hm..." Kaede scrunched up her face in thought, pondering the matter. "I think...that might be too soon. I don't want to rush things! Maybe the day after tomorrow? Around the evening? I think that'd work just fine. I think it'd be our final day of the deadline, too, so it'd be the perfect chance to hold our party! And it gives us an entire day to prepare for it."

"Then it is settled! We shall hold the party the day after tomorrow, in the evening, in the old hotel building," Byakuya confirmed with an eager nod. "I'll make sure to spend tomorrow cleaning out the place, make sure it's suitable and ready for our event."

"I'll help ya out, Byakuya! I don't mind getting my hands dirty. Besides, I gotta make sure that kitchen over there is up to snuff!" Teruteru declared.

"I think I shall help too if no one objects. Between the three of us, I'm sure we can get it all ready for the party," volunteered Nagito.

"Great! I'm so glad this is all coming together!" Kaede beamed at everyone before sitting back down, eager to finish her food.

She couldn't help but feel so excited! This was gonna be a great party, she could already tell. Byakuya, Teruteru, and Nagito helping to clean up the old hotel would work out nicely: now she just had to find someone to help her plan everything out. Maybe Sonia, or Kiyo? Both, even. They struck her as the type who'd have fun planning an event like this. And of course, she, Sayaka, and Ibuki needed to find if there were any drums on the island, so they could have a complete band for the party itself...

She'd worry about that later, though. For now, Kaede was just determined to finish her dinner, and enjoy chatting with her friends.

* * *

_8:52 PM, Day 2_

_Hotel Mirai Restaurant_

_1st Island_

Dinner had since passed and everyone had gone their own separate ways, most preparing to retire for the night. Mukuro herself had escorted Monaca back to the farmhouse, helped the girl undress and put her to bed. She herself wasn't ready to go to bed just yet however: Mukuro wanted to do a general patrol of the islands, then head to sleep. She really wasn't keen on the idea, to be fair, but Usami had assigned her to do at least one nightly patrol every day, and she was fairly sure she'd be punished if she ignored that duty.

So Mukuro made her way over to the central island first, patrolling over there, before returning to the first island. She encountered no real disturbances along the way, until she made her way through the hotel complex. The faint murmur of voices could be heard from a variety of cabins, which wasn't unexpected, but she was curious to see the lights still on up in the restaurant itself. And when she went up there to investigate...

Nagito caught her eye immediately, and Mukuro couldn't help but feel a small shiver go down her spine at the sight of him. He was sitting at one of the tables, a glass of water in one hand a he leaned back. She still felt wary and uneasy around him, though she wasn't sure what she should do about him: after all, it wasn't like he'd made any actual threats or anything.

Regardless of that though, she was more than a little confused to see Rantaro sitting right next to him: the two of them apparently in deep conversation when she came into the room.

"Rantaro, Nagito," Mukuro nodded at them both. "I thought you two would have gone to bed by now. What are you two still doing up here?"

Rantaro gave her a small smile. "Apologies, I assure you we're not causing any trouble!" He laughed. "Nagito and I were simply recounting our tales of danger. His luck is truly something extraordinary if he is to be believed." Rantaro turned back to him, clearly intrigued.

"Indeed, I found myself curious about our respective talents, and which of us has lived through the most life-threatening situations. Despite being, well, the 'Ultimate Luck' in a sense, you'd be surprised how many times I've escaped death," Nagito added, giving Rantaro a slight nod. "And Rantaro here...well, his very Talent gives him the ability to survive death where others would not! I could not help but be curious how it compared to my Luck. His talent is of course superior to mine, I won't contest that: still, I find myself rather intrigued."

Mukuro raised an eyebrow skeptically, and though she wanted to walk away and just leave them be...she too found herself curious. "Really now? Well, don't be afraid to stop on my account. Please, continue where you left off."

Rantaro gave a good-natured smirk, leaning his head back and closing his eyes in thought.

"Where was I indeed...? Ah yes, that Chinese monastery. Right, so after I reached the monastery, and asked for entry, this albino girl comes rushing out and starts demanding a fight to the death, since I was trespassing on their property or something of the sort." The survivor waved his hand dismissively. "Before I can even respond she begins attacking me, and kicked me off a cliff. Luckily I landed in a small pond below that could not have been more than 25 feet wide." Upon seeing the incredulous look Mukuro gave him, he shrugged. "Hey, it was an accident... or so she claimed."

"My, that sounds impressive!" Nagito gave a small laugh, clapping his hands together. "It reminds me of a similar situation I had. Through a series of unlikely circumstances, I ended up being whipped quite severely by a girl in an amusement park. I'm not quite sure why, but she seemed to get it in her head that I was going to harm the little girl she was baby-sitting, and so she sought to enact her own brand of justice. And while I was trying to avoid her strikes, I ended up falling through an open manhole and straight down into the sewers of the park. The fall really should have killed me, or at least broken some bones, but I managed to land on an air mattress that was inexplicably down there, thus saving me from any serious injuries."

"Really?" Mukuro couldn't help but give a quiet chuckle at that. "Yes...you do sort of look like the sex offender type. Still, she had an actual whip on her? That seems...odd."

"Yes, I was quite surprised about that too! But while I was down in the sewers, I happened upon a briefcase that had been discarded. It contained more than a few dark secrets of some foreign company...I can't recall their name...but regardless, when I tried to return the briefcase to the company, they ended up offering me a pretty sum of money to keep quiet. So I suppose it wasn't too bad!" he replied, smiling at the memory.

"Interesting!" Rantaro laughed. "It seems we both have an odd streak of being unlucky, before having good fortune balance it out. It makes me wonder what would happen if our respective talents were forced against each other," he pondered curiously. "Ah, well let's pray that that never happens, yeah?"

"Indeed! Though I admit, it would be quite an interesting match, wouldn't it?" Nagito countered, offering a small smile. After a moment, however, his eyes glanced over toward Mukuro. "In fact, I can't help but find myself curious about you as well, Mukuro. You _are_ a soldier are all: I imagine you've gone through your own harrowing circumstances in the past. Perhaps you've even survived as many life-threatening situations as Rantaro and I?"

Mukuro blinked rapidly in response, not quite expecting to get dragged into the conversation like this. "Well, I...ah, I suppose. I served with Fenrir for two years, before I left to come back to my sister...but, I'm afraid a lot of the missions I was on with Fenrir are classified. I can't exactly talk about them without having to kill you both afterward."

Rantaro's eyes widened at that, before an amused look passed over his face. "Ah, that would be something, wouldn't it? If our stories are anything to go by, you may have some trouble killing us!" he joked, before frowning. "Wait, were you serious? Your missions were that big a deal? Did you do assassinations? Secret raids? I won't lie, I'm curious now too!"

Mukuro gave an aggravated sigh, pausing briefly to rub her temples. She really shouldn't have poked her nose in this. "Well, Fenrir is a private military organization, so we did a little bit of everything. Security for VIP targets, combat tours in war-torn areas of the world, search and rescue missions, extractions, hits, raids on terrorist bases, the works. The US government was often our most frequent contractor, but we did work for just about everyone. Except China, that is. The Major had a grudge against the Chinese government, so we never did any work for them."

"That is interesting. Now I see why your discretion is needed." Rantaro nodded in understanding. "But, surely you have a tale or two you can tell that was life or death? I find it hard to believe that everything would be classified. Besides, you're stuck here with us, what's the harm in a tale or two?"

"Yes, I must concur! Surely there's something you can share with us?" Nagito added with a keen smile.

Mukuro rolled her eyes, but after a moment she went over and pulled herself a chair as well. "Fine, fine. I suppose there is _one_ thing I can tell you. Shortly before I left Fenrir, we were hired to raid a drug manufacturing compound run by a Don Juan and his cartel. The local authorities weren't able to touch the place themselves, but our employer still wanted that place gone, and the operation dismantled. So, we hit it. For a bunch of cartel thugs, they put up a surprisingly strong fight: it was a real bloodbath through the main building.

"Towards the end of the operation, we had managed to clear out the remaining defenders and were sweeping the area for survivors. I was searching by myself at that point, until I entered a room near the back. It looked empty at first glance aside from some furniture, but...well, call it a second sense or a gut instinct, but just as I entered the room, I knew I had to drop to the floor. The moment I did, a bullet exploded out of a cabinet in the room, hitting just where I'd been standing a moment earlier. Turned out, someone was hiding inside it.

"I reached for my gun, and fired several shots into the cabinet. After that, I opened it, and found the bastard who'd almost shot me. As it happened, it was the Don himself that I killed. We weren't expecting him at the compound, but our employer was quite pleased to know he was dead," she proclaimed, finishing her story.

Rantaro drank in the story thoughtfully, entertained. "I see. So yours has less to do with luck, and more about skill and instinct. That is truly terrifying!" Upon seeing Mukuro's confused face, he elaborated. "While Nagito and I have simply gotten lucky, your personal skill and prowess is what saved you. That makes you someone I never hope to be at odds with."

"Rantaro's right about that. Your own unique talent gives you abilities that Rantaro and I would be ill at odds facing. It's a good thing we aren't enemies!" Nagito agreed, letting out a small chuckle.

"Yes, I suppose so," Mukuro replied, a thoughtful look on her face. She stood up a moment later, deciding that now was probably her best chance to leave before she got roped up any further in their conversation. "Gentlemen, I think I'll-!"

She cut herself off, the sound of breaking glass catching her attention. Her eyes flashed over to Nagito, or more specifically, the glass he'd been drinking water out from. His robotic hand seemed to have crushed it, if the shards of glass under his hand was any indication. More concerning, though, were the odd, twitchy movements his robotic fingers were going through.

"Ah, sorry about that. I'm afraid the sand hasn't been good for my artificial hand, and it's gone a little haywire as a result," Nagito explained, giving a slight sigh. "Monaca offered to take a look at it for me, but without the proper tools...well, there's not much she can do for me. It's quite troublesome, too: it's becoming harder and harder to write anything with this hand. Just my luck, I suppose..."

"Seems like more of your bad luck at play." Rantaro commented, this time not joking. "Have you considered using your other arm? I'm sure if you set your mind to it, it won't be too hard to become ambidextrous."

"Well, that's easier said than done. But I've already come up with a solution, so it shouldn't be too much of a bother," Nagito deferred with an easy smile, as he leaned back in his chair.

"Yes, well...good luck with that. As I was saying, I think I'll go ahead and retire for the night," Mukuro said, before turning to walk out of the restaurant. "Have a good night you two."

* * *

_9:32 PM, Day 2_

_Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

Kaede was starting to question how things came to this point. After all, she was in a rather _unusual_ situation. Here she was in her cabin, with three other girls...all four of them in different states of undress.

Tsumugi and Chihiro had lost their shirts, leaving Tsumugi in her bra, and Chihiro in just a small white undershirt—poor girl was so flat she didn't even bother with a bra—while Ibuki had boldly taken off her panties first. And Kaede herself...was down to her underwear, having lost her almost all her clothes.

How had it come to this? How had she even thought playing strip poker was a good idea?!

"Chug, chug, chug, chug!" Ibuki enthusiastically chanted, as Tsumugi downed her latest shot of vodka.

Oh, right, alcohol. That was why.

"Ha! Take that! I told you, I'm the Queen of Vodka!" the cosplayer slurred, gazing around the room. "Wait... I'm a queen now? I forget."

"Tsumugi...I think you've had a little too much to drink..." Kaede pointed out, scratching her cheek nervously. Given how tipsy she herself was though...well, it felt like the pot calling the kettle black.

"Nope nope! This party is just getting started! Ibuki won't rest until everyone's naked and drunk!" Ibuki loudly proclaimed, her own face a little red.

"M-maybe we should t-try to watch our intake." Chihiro said softly. "We wouldn't want to get hung over in the morning,"

"Y-yeah...um, besides, we still have more cards to play, right? We uh, should get on with that," Kaede pointed out. Maybe reminding Ibuki and Mugi about the game would make them drink less?

It seemed to work, as Ibuki nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes! Ibuki thinks we must continue the game! It was Tsumugi's turn to deal!"

"Okay, let me just shuffle these up." she said, grabbing the deck of cards. She did her best to shuffle them, her vision a bit blurred, despite her wearing glasses. Despite that she dealt the cards in swift order, leaving everyone to muse over their hands. "Alright, let's get ready!"

After checking out her own cards, Kaede gave a relieved smile and displayed her full house to the group. "Ha! Looks like I've won this round."

Ibuki groaned, displaying her cards too. "Gah! Ibuki cannot beat that!"

"Aw... I wanted her to take her bra off," Tsumugi mumbled softly. She glanced at Chihiro, who had a nervous look on her face. "What's wrong? Didja get a bad hand?"

"I lost this round... I guess I have to take something else off," she mumbled softly. She swallowed hard, as she grabbed one of her stockings, sliding it off her leg. "There we go."

"Boo! Ibuki decrees you take off something more exciting!" she heckled, booing openly at Chihiro.

"Oh don't tease her. She can take off what she wants," Kaede rebuked. "Also...I can't help but feel we're playing this wrong…"

Tsumugi just shook her head however. "Nah... we're doing alright! Chihiro, your turn to deal the..._hic_...cards. After you take your shot of course!"

"Okay," she said softly. Tsumugi poured the drink out to her, and she downed it in one go, shuddering a bit. "Ah... that burns."

Kaede waited patiently as Chihiro handed out the cards afterward. She examined her hand, and gave a little sigh. "Well, this isn't a good hand at all."

"Ahhh! You think that's bad, Ibuki's is even worse!" she proclaimed with a cry.

"Well... I didn't lose this time at least," Chihiro murmured, her eyes shifting to Tsumugi who had a small smile on her face. "Did you get a good hand?"

"I got the best hand, and since Ibuki got the worst one, she has to take something off. Come on, take it off!" Tsumugi practically screamed, holding the bottle of vodka in her hand. "Show us your goodies!"

"Ooh, it's Ibuki's turn now! What fun!" Ibuki enthused, a flushed grin on her face.

She immediately stood up, reaching for her shirt...but changed direction at the last moment, moving to instead tug her skirt down. Pulling it completely down her legs, kicking them off as she sent the garment flying straight toward Chihiro.

She was completely nude below the waist now: the only stitch of clothing left below her shirt being her knee high socks. "Ibuki is going commando! And there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Chihiro looked away, hastily removing the skirt that had landed on her face. At the same time, her cheeks flushed a bright red. She clearly wasn't expecting Ibuki to readily take her skirt off. Her legs were so smooth and her... her area was completely shaved…

Chihiro suddenly grabbed the vodka bottle from Tsumugi's hand, taking a gulp from it, ignoring the burn in the back of her throat.

"Well someone's excited! That's what I like to see... so since Ibuki has finally showed us her neden, it's time for her to shuffle the deck!" Tsumugi decided.

"Aye aye, cap'n!" Ibuki replied, giving her a brief salute. She reached over to grab the cards and start shuffling them, doing fancy little tricks-or at least trying to, with how much she had to drink she was spilling the cards more often than not-before dealing them out.

"I-Ibuki, I think you need to reshuffle those... they spilled everywhere," Chihiro said shyly.

The girl in question just shook her head, continuing to hand people cards, even if they had seen them. Chihiro then looked to Kaede who just shrugged. After all, she wasn't in control of this anymore than Chihiro herself was.

"Ooo... things are starting to get super serious! No wait... I got a draw four in here and it's yellow." Tsumugi said, flashing her card to the others.

"Tsu... that's an Uno card." Chihiro said softly.

"How did that even...? Oh nevermind," Kaede sighed softly to herself, shaking her head. "And Mugi, that doesn't count. Draw another card."

At any rate, Kaede checked out her hand, before giving a slight shrug. "It's decent, I suppose."

"Ha! Ibuki has the best hand, hands down!" the girl in question crowed, as she slammed down her cards. "Now Ibuki shall send your souls to the shadow realm!"

"I lost again," Chihiro mumbled dryly to herself. She swallowed hard, reaching for her last remaining stocking.

"No! Boo! Take something else off! You can't just keep taking small garments off, take your top off or your skirt!" Tsumugi cried, pointing at the girl. "Dewitt!"

"Yes, Chihiro! Join the bottomless club, it's real breezy down here and-gak!" Ibuki was cut off, Kaede unceremoniously thrusting an open bottle into her mouth. Which of course she started to chug.

"Oh knock it off you two. Let her take off what she's comfortable with," Kaede scolded, before giving Chihiro a small smile. She reached over, gently patting her bare knee. "It's okay, Chihiro. Don't listen to them, and just take off what you're comfortable with."

"O-okay... t-thanks Kaede." she softly said, pulling her remaining stocking off. "I guess I'll deal the cards this time... I'll make sure we don't have anymore Uno cards in the deck."

"Ugh... you are such a spoilsport normie Kaede. I hope you lose next time so I can see your tits." said Tsumugi, glaring at her with reckless abandon. "In fact, I'll pray to the RNGesus to make that happen."

"...You've had too much to drink, Tsumugi." came Kaede's reply, as she simply _stared_ at her. She shook her head, and glanced over her cards once they were dealt. "This is an okay hand, I suppose."

Ibuki, meanwhile, studied her cards intently. "Hmm...hmm...hmm...go fish!"

"Oh thank god, I actually got a good hand this time," Chihiro said, turning to Tsumugi. Her hair had fallen over her eyes, hiding the anger that rested behind her glasses. "Tsu?"

The woman wordlessly reached behind her back, undoing the clasp of her bra. She pulled the garment off, releasing her breasts to the wind. Her milky orbs were large and quite perky. For some reason or another, her nipples were hard, something that made the program clasp her nose as blood started to trickle out. She flung the garment at Kaede, which wrapped around her face.

"I swear to god, I will get you back for this one," she huffed out, crossing her arms.

"You're the one who tempted fate, Tsumugi," Kaede couldn't help but point out, casually removing the bra from her face. It wasn't the first time she'd had underwear thrown at her, after all. Though she was a little surprised to see the...current state of Tsumugi's nipples. "Anyway, your turn to deal Mugi!"

Ibuki, meanwhile, stared at Tsumugi's bared breasts intently, before glancing down at her own chest. After a moment she gave a groan, huffing out, "Life simply isn't fair for Ibuki!"

"Everything will..._hic_...be fine." Tsumugi replied, lowering the bottle from her lips. She sighed contently. The area around her breasts was partially flushed, like her cheeks. It was most likely due to the alcohol coursing through her system. "Okay! Let's deal the cards... I'm starting to see sevens." she mumbled, shuffling the cards, only to spill them everywhere.

"Girls...maybe we should stop. Tsumugi is already very drunk, and I'm not sure how much more booze Ibuki can have before she passes out. I think we should call it here," Chihiro hesitantly suggested, hugging a cushion tightly to her chest.

"One more round! One more round! One more round!" Ibuki chanted in response, after taking another swig from her bottle. "At the very least, Ibuki thinks we should keep going until someone's naked! Ibuki hopes it will be me!"

"Well...it would be a shame if we stopped before someone fully lost..." Kaede murmured, before reaching for the cards. With Tsumugi inebriated, she shuffled the deck and dealt the cards herself. "And I think I'll just shuffle the cards myself from now on. I'm just tipsy...mostly."

Chihiro clenched her jaw tightly. "I-I see. I guess we'll keep going, then."

"What's wrong Chi? You..._hic_...afraid of your body or sumthin? Come on~ I'm sure you look perfectly fine, besides big boobies get in the way! Yours look totally cute" Tsumugi said, firmly wrapping her arm around the girl's shoulder, whereupon she proceeded to bury her face in her breasts. "Mhmm... big boobs just get in the way. But they're comfortable too... we can continue playing like this if you want."

"No!" Chihiro exclaimed, pulling herself free from Tsumugi's tight and sexy grasp. "No... I'm okay, can play normally." she said. She reached for a cushion she had been clutching before, pressing it against her lap. "L-let's just keep going!"

Kaede nodded lightly, dealing the last remaining set of cards. She picked up her hand a moment later...before blinking rapidly, staring aghast at her hand. "How...how did I even get a hand full of Yugioh cards? I shuffled the deck myself!"

"Ha! Kaede loses!" Ibuki declared, not even bothering to check her cards. "Come on Kaede, it's time to join the bottomless club~!"

"No... she should take it all off!" Tsumugi said cheerfully. "Come on... show me those titties! Let's see if the carpet matches the drapes!"

"Tsumugi... are you sure you are okay? Y-you're acting like a giant pervert." Chihiro uttered, which just earned her a glare. "Okay, I'm sorry... please proceed."

"Jeez, it's not like you two haven't seen me naked in the shower already," Kaede pointed out, shaking her head in bemusement. After a moment she reached behind herself and unhooked her bra, taking it off. Her pale naked breasts, somehow larger than Tsumugi's, bounced free of their confinement, and were now open for everyone to stare at.

"Ooh, Ibuki sees that Kaede still has some huge knockers. Yes, yes, just as I expected," Ibuki nodded to herself.

"Gonzagas," Chihiro said softly. She shook her head, clutching her nose as she tried to prevent any more bleeding.

"Wow... I know I've seen them before but dayum! You've got some nice knockers... they're soft pale and perky and cute~" Tsumugi exclaimed.

"Ugh, thanks, I guess," Kaede replied, blushing a little.

She threw away the offending Yugioh cards after a moment, and grabbed the deck again, reshuffling it. She dealt out another round of cards, and once everyone showed their hands, it was clear that Ibuki had lost.

"It's time for Ibuki to strip again!" she declared excitedly, before grasping the hem of her shirt, and swiftly pulling it off. She was thus left in just her bra and socks, leaving Ibuki almost completely naked...much like Kaede and Tsumugi as well.

Ibuki grinned with a smug, satisfied expression...though she couldn't help but look down at her chest with a frown. "Hmm, Ibuki thinks maybe she went too bold too fast. I don't have too much to show off up here..."

Chihiro swallowed thickly, clearing her throat. "I-I think it's fine."

"Go hard or go home right? That's what strip poker is all about!" Tsumugi said cheerfully, giving her breasts a slight bounce. "Ah... I haven't had this much fun since the time I waited for Senran Kagura to be released on Blu-Ray. I gotta make some time to watch that."

That said, she grabbed the bottle of vodka. She took several gulps from it, sighing contentedly. "The sea monkey has been plastered!"

"...Right. Well, time for the next round," Kaede decided with a shrug. She reached over to get a swig from her own bottle, not wanting to be left out or anything, before dealing the cards again. And when the latest round played out...

She lost.

"Yahoo! Kaede lost! We have a loser! Now it's time to get naked! Strip, strip, strip!" Ibuki enthusiastically cheered. She even went so far as to reach over and try to tug down the offending panties herself, though Kaede easily swatted her hand away.

"Ibuki, let her do it herself!" Tsumugi cried out. "I want her to do it herself, it makes it that much more rewarding,"

"Tsumugi is definitely a pervert... I need to keep my eye out for her. She might be the end of me," Chihiro mumbled softly to herself, as she tried and failed not to look at the flushing girl.

"Jeez! The alcohol has made you two absolute perverts!" Kaede thundered, blushing heavily. She gave a sigh a moment later, and reach down to roll her underwear down, sliding them down her thighs and legs until they hit the floor, and Kaede stepped out of them.

"There, happy?" she asked, rolling her eyes slightly. While both Tsumugi and Ibuki had seen it before, Chihiro would find out for herself that the drapes, indeed, matched the carpet.

"Wow... it's just as pretty as I imagined it to be," Chihiro murmured, her eyes growing wide.

Tsumugi shifted her gaze towards Chihiro, who had been completely entranced by what she was seeing. She waved her hand over her eyes. "Hello...Chi? Are you okay?" she queried, looking back at Kaede. "I think you broke her,"

"Chihiro is just excited to see Kaede naked! She wasn't in the shower with us this morning, so it's an entrancing sight! Yes, Ibuki understands her plight well!" said Ibuki, giving a sage nod. "But! That does not matter now! For now...it is time to become naked buddies!"

With that absurd declaration Ibuki reached back and undid her bra, freeing her confined boobs. Meanwhile she took another sip of her vodka...or tried to, but was disappointed to find the bottle empty. "Drat! Well, I can always steal Kaede's later. Now, Tsumugi, take off those panties! And Chihiro, take off your everything! It's time to become naked buddies! So Ibuki declares, and so it shall be!"

"What was the point of that game then if we're all just getting naked without playing?" Kaede observed, giving out a small laugh. "Jeez, you're really sloshed, aren't you Ibuki?"

"Well... if we're going to be naked buddies, I guess it has to be done." Tsumugi said, dropping her panties.

Chihiro meanwhile let out a small squeak as she got a good look at Tsumugi's crown jewel. She seemed to find it a fascinating sight, her eyes catching every last detail, including the fact that Tsumugi's pubic hair was, amusingly enough, trimmed to form a perfect heart.

Tsumugi looked down at her, giving Chihiro a grin. "Well hiya! Excited to see me too? How about you take it all off? Join us in all the fun!"

"No... no I don't think I will. I think I'll stay just like this," Chihiro said hastily, as she came to her senses. A second later she hastily got to her feet, still clutching the cushion tightly to her lower body. "I-In fact, wh-why don't I just leave now? I uh, don't want to make things awkward…"

"Nonsense! Chihiro's gotta join in on the fun! Come on, come on! We're all girls here, so it's fine~!" Ibuki stated with a drunken giggle.

That said she dropped her bottle, and lunged for Chihiro. Intent on pulling down her skirt and panties for her, if she was going to be stubborn about it, or so it seemed. However...with how drunk she was, Ibuki stumbled in her gait, and ended up tripping. She fell forwards with a yelp, her hands desperate to grab on to something to stop her momentum...but when she grabbed Chihiro's skirt, she only succeeded in pulling it down with her, revealing Chihiro's bloomers. At the same time, she dropped her cushion in shock, which made sure her underwear wasn't obscured.

Chihiro stood absolutely still, horrified at what had just happened. The color drained completely from her face as Ibuki, and everyone else, realized why she was so reluctant to get naked. What had been hidden by the fabric of her skirt could no longer be hidden now that Chihiro was just down to her underwear.

She... or rather _he_ cleared his throat. "Um... I'm sorry."

"Eh? What's this Ibuki is looking at?" Ibuki inquired, squinting her eyes. It took the drunken girl a moment to make the connection, and when she did, she gave a yelp and leaped backwards, clearly shocked.

"Wh-wh-wh-what?! Chihiro has a...Chihiro has a..." Ibuki stuttered, foam starting to collect in her mouth. "I-It must mean that...Chihiro is a real live futa!"

"No, you idiot... Chihiro isn't a futa... he's just a very feminine looking boy," Tsumugi said, placing a hand on her face. "Oh dear... the reason why she was being so reluctant was that she was trying not to pop a boner..."

"Y-yeah... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean for this to happen! I just... have a hard time fitting in as a boy. I was going to decline your invitation, but Ibuki dragged me here and... I'm sorry." he said, bowing his head.

"W-Wow, so Chihiro's a...boy?" Kaede said, letting out a nervous little laugh. She felt self-conscious all of a sudden but resisted the urge to try and cover herself up. There was no need to make Chihiro feel any less awkward! Although...

She discreetly checked out her-_his_-lap again, coughing slightly as she blushed. "I uh, th-think we're past the 'trying not to pop a boner' stage. Your, ah...flag is showing against your underwear, Chihiro…"

"Oh... Oh god!" Chihiro cried, shielding his face with his hands.

"Can I see it?" Tsumugi suddenly asked. Chihiro just gave her a horrified look in response. "What? He saw my vagina so I should be able to see his dick. It's only fair~"

Kaede immediately slapped a palm against Tsumugi's mouth, still blushing as she hastily shook her head. "No, bad Mugi! We shouldn't force Chihiro to show his penis unless he wants to! Wait, no! I mean...oh God, I'm way too drunk for this..."

She gave an aggravated sigh and glanced over to Chihiro again. Trying-and failing-not to check out his lap again. "Look...we're sorry we embarrassed you, Chihiro. We...promise we'll keep this a secret, okay? But...maybe we could talk about this? I mean, if you don't mind..."

"Mm, Ibuki agrees with Kaede. We only want to help! Maybe showing us your dick-I mean, unburdening yourself will help you out!" Ibuki agreed with a surprisingly serious look on her face. "At the very least, Ibuki _is_ curious about why Chihiro is a trap..."

"I guess I can explain that," Chihiro said softly sighing as tears formed in the corners of his eyes.

"As you can see... I'm quite weak. I didn't fit the world as a boy... people would always bully me for not looking like a rough and tough man. One day, someone made a passing comment that I would look better in a dress." he proclaimed, using a hand to wipe away his tears. "I... I took that to heart. I decided, if I can't be a boy, then I might as well be a girl. So I started dressing like a girl and everyone started paying attention to me in a positive manner. It wasn't long before everyone recognized my programming abilities, too. By that time, I...truly felt accepted. Still, it was all a lie. One big, pathetic lie...wh-which is why I've been wanting to...change, lately. Still, I'm so sorry you had to find out this way."

"Oh, you poor thing," Kaede sighed sympathetically, looking down at him. She moved to take a seat next to him, gently patting his knee: forgetting, for the moment, that she was still completely naked. "I...kinda know what it's like to be bullied. Before I became famous, my classmates used to make fun of me all the time. Called me Piano Freak, and all sorts of other names."

"Yeah...Ibuki...didn't enjoy elementary school herself. No one understood me; they always thought I was weird! So none of the girls were ever nice to me," Ibuki admitted, giving a small pout as she spoke. "And Tsumugi is a total anime nerd, so I'm sure she's been bullied tones too!"

"Oh, believe me, I get called my fair share of names. Nerd, weeaboo, big breasted anime pervert. I don't even get the weeaboo part, I'm fucking Japanese!" she cried, shaking her head. "Whatever the case, those people can go suck a lemon. You should feel comfortable in your own skin Chihiro. I'll keep your secret...of course, I'll keep it for a very tiny fee."

She paused, a perverted grin appearing on her face. "I wanna see it!"

"Oh Tsumugi, come _on_-!" Kaede started but was interrupted by Ibuki's cheering.

"Yes, yes, yes! Ibuki agrees! We see Chihiro's trap penis, and thus we keep his secret! A secret kept between naked people is a bond that will withstand the test of time!" she added, looking down at Chihiro eagerly.

"Jeez, you two are out of control!" Kaede huffed, crossing her arms.

"No... they're right... you girls got naked and I got to see you like that. It isn't fair that just because I'm a guy, I can't show you anything." he said firmly. The three girls watched as he quickly took his remaining clothes off, tossing them into a bundle on the ground. He kept his eyes closed, squirming nervously as he bared it all. "S-So? A-Are we even?"

"Oh, we are even alright!" Tsumugi said, stars in her eyes while some drool leaked out from her mouth.

"..." Kaede, for her part, was left speechless. Her entire face blossomed into a wide, all-encompassing blush. She bit her lip nervously, but couldn't look away from the sight before her.

"WOAH! Ibuki likes what she sees!" Ibuki declared, giving a series of perverse giggles. She licked her lips sensuously, before reaching over to grab Kaede's bottle and take a swig from it. "And the night is young and Ibuki feels like having more fun! Now that we're naked buddies, let's drink more! Ooh, maybe we can play truth or dare!"

"YES!" Tsumugi cried.

"Absolutely not! I don't think my heart can take any more of this!" Chihiro denied, looking positively mortified at the idea.

"Jeez, what am I gonna do with you two?" Kaede sighed softly to herself, shaking her head.

It seemed like she was in for a long night, one way or another…though she honestly didn't mind that too much.

Still, a small part of Kaede wondered how long this sense of peace would last. All of this...it somehow felt like the calm before the storm. So how long would it take before someone or something shattered it?

* * *

**End Day 2**

**21 Students Remain**

* * *

_With special thanks to CSD and JC for helping me write portions of this chapter! You guys are the best!_

* * *

_Review Replies_

_JC: Hm, is that so? I do wonder what you learned. ;)_

_Guest: I cannot confirm nor deny any possible ships at the moment. However, as Miu/Chihiro has been done in ANH, it will likely not be retreaded here._

_Crit: Thanks! Glad you liked that scene. And thanks for that too! It's really fun to write all these interesting interactions! :D_

_D-Kirb: Glad you enjoyed it! I especially loved writing that Miu/Akane scene._

_Trust Me: Shuichi the Ultimate Gigolo confirmed!_

_Kobold: Thanks! And yeah, it's fun writing those fourth wall breaking moments with Ibuki. :D_


	11. Blood Moon Rising, 1-6

_12:13 AM, Day 3_

_Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

It was well past midnight now, and most everyone on the island was asleep by that point. Toko herself wasn't, however: she'd stayed up a few extra hours writing in her room. But it was getting late even for her, now, and so she was about ready to go to sleep.

A knock on her door prevented her from doing just that, however. Toko paused for a moment, before warily approaching her door. She opened it up just a crack, before throwing it all the way open upon seeing that her dear Master was there.

"M-M-Master Shuichi!" Toko cried out, eyes widening in surprise. "Wh-what are you doing here, so late?!"

"H-hey, Toko." Shuichi said, eyeing her a little oddly. "Do you have a minute? I was hoping to talk to you. May I come in?"

"Y-Yes, of course!" Toko immediately backed up to let him in, and slammed the door shut once he walked inside. There also seemed to be a soft clicking sound that followed as she locked the door behind them.

"D-Do you need anything, Master? Water, food, a warm body to embrace, or a blowjob?" Toko inquired, an eager look on her face. "I-I want to do whatever I can for you!"

"I... no, I think I'm good." Shuichi replied rather nervously as he sat in a chair in the corner of the room, choosing not to comment on Toko's questionable comment. "I just wanted to talk, if you don't mind. Um, how are you doing this evening?"

"I-I'm doing fine, Master! A l-l-lot better now that you're here," Toko proclaimed, giving a small giggle. She took a seat on her bed across from him, her eyes sizing him up like a hungry wolf might eye its next meal.

"That's... great." he slowly said, shifting in his seat uncomfortably. "Listen, do you mind if I ask you a few questions, starting with how you know so much about me? D-Don't get me wrong, I'm flattered! It's just, um, odd... that you learned so much in so little time."

"Oh, w-well..." Toko trailed off, suddenly seeming quite nervous and uncertain. She bit her thumb, squirming anxiously before deciding to come clean. "A-After I woke up...you know, the day I fainted and we found Monaca? Well, after that, I realized...I must have left my pad down in the basement in the Admin building. I didn't want to go back for it, but...Usami told me I'd get p-p-punished if I didn't. So, I went back there alone, and got it. But...

"I uh, got curious. So I looked around a little. And...I found a filing cabinet down there, that had files on like...all of us. At least, I think? I-I didn't look at it very long. I was really focused on my own file...a-and yours. It uh, had a whole lot of details about you! And knowing that stuff...it helped me fall in love with you all the more, Master," Toko proclaimed, giving a dreamy little sigh.

Shuichi's eyes widened in surprise, his mouth left gaping for a moment. "Wait, you found a filing cabinet full of secret files on all of us, and you didn't tell us?!" he thundered, his voice raising much higher than it had since they arrived on the island. Upon seeing Toko's shocked face, he cleared his throat, settling back in his seat calmly. "S-Sorry, I should not have gotten so worked up. It's just that, you should have told us. There could be important stuff in those files."

"I-I'm so s-s-s-sorry Master!" Toko cried, and before Shuichi could stop her, she'd already gotten onto the floor in front of him. She pressed her forehead hard against the floor, practically bowing to him as she let out a stream of apologizes. "I-I should have said something sooner to you! Ooh, I'm s-s-such an idiot! Y-You can punish me however you like! Y-you can beat me black and blue, or use my b-b-body for your carnal urges all night long! H-However you think I should be punished!"

"Whoa, whoa! Slow down!" Shuichi replied, his eyes widening in a mixture of surprise and horror. "There's no need for that! I'm just, uh...glad you found those files. I...might not have been able to find them myself, I didn't really think to go back to that basement after we left…"

Toko slowly lifted her head up, staring at Shuichi uncertainly before offering him a relieved smile. "R-really? Oh, thank you so much, Master! I promise, I won't let you down in the future!"

Shuichi chuckled lightly tapping a finger on his chin in thought. "Indeed. Though, one more thing: please don't call me master. That bothers me. Just Shuichi will be fine."

"Eh? Oh, um, right. I g-guess I can do that, Darling Shuichi!" Toko agreed after a moment, nodding her head happily. At the same time, she sat up slightly, so that she was more kneeling in front of him. Her face now uncomfortably close to his lap, a fact Toko seemed to be aware of as she idly licked her lips.

He gave a smile, completely oblivious to Toko's drooling. "Thanks. I mean, the darling part is a bit much, but baby steps I suppose!" he stated, before a more considering look flashed across his face. "S-So, um, Toko... you know quite a bit about me, If you want, I'd like to know more about you."

"Huh? M-me?" Toko stuttered, rearing back in surprise. She looked off to the side after a moment, nervously biting her thumb. "I mean...th-there's not much interesting to tell. I grew up with a deadbeat dad and two moms. They...didn't like me all that much, to be honest."

"I-I see." Shuichi said softly, frowning. "I suppose I understand how you feel." he replied, though he looked vaguely troubled for some reason.

Toko took note of it, but decided not to question it, wrapped up as she was in her obvious adoration. "Yeah...but, those jerks don't matter now! Neither...do all those stupid boys who rejected me time and again. As long as I have you, Mas—er, Darling, I'll be satisfied!"

"Y-Yeah. That makes sense." Shuichi mumbled under his breath, moreso to himself than Toko."I-I have to ask though, what do you mean those 'other boys?' And why me specifically? After all, I'm certainly not the most good looking guy here."

"Oh, _them_..." Toko scowled, growling a little under her breath. "I just...haven't had a lot of luck with guys. Most boys see me as plain, ugly, boring, and all sorts of other stuff...not that I blame them, really, since it's true..."

She paused, adopting a more eager expression as she looked up at him again. "B-But, as for you...well, you're such a romantic, Darling! You...carried me to my room when I fainted, checked up on me, and what I saw in your file...well, it just helped me realize just how wonderful you are! I mean, sure, there are more attractive boys I guess...like Rantaro, Nagito, and Chihiro...but they're nothing compared to you, Darling! You're much more noble and kind hearted than them!"

A moment of silence passed, as he idly nodded at what she said. After a moment, however, a puzzled expression appeared on his face, and he glanced over at her with furrowed brows.

"Toko..." Shuichi said. "Did you just call Chihiro a boy?"

"Huh?" Toko blinked, tilting her head slightly. "I mean...yes? He is a boy, isn't he? I mean, I know how he dresses, but...I'm fairly sure Chihiro is a guy. Though I'm...not sure why I know that. It's weird...I just _know_ it, but I don't remember...how I know?"

Toko frowned, looking genuinely puzzled and uncertain. Before she could think it over too long however, Shuichi spoke up again.

"Alright, I understand. It's fine." he replied, looking deep in thought. "This is news to me, and I'm assuming everyone else. Don't tell anyone that, ok?"

"R-Right!" Toko replied, nodding eagerly at his command. "Whatever my Mas-um, _Darling _wants, he'll get! And I mean _anything_."

"Right. T-Thanks." Shuichi mumbled, tugging nervously at his collar. "Well, I'm... glad that we got to talk, Toko. I-I'm feeling quite tired, I think it's time I headed to bed."

He hastily got up, heading toward the door, and undoing the surprisingly tight lock and opening it. "Have a good night."

Before he could get all the way out, however, Toko rushed over and latched onto his arm. With a surprisingly firm grip, she started dragging him back in, and before Shuichi knew it, she'd thrown him onto her bed!

"Th-there's no need to be so coy, Darling..." Toko giggled, a perverse look on her face as she approached Shuichi. "Th-there's only one reason a boy comes to a girl's room so late at night. Just sit back, and let me do all the work~!"

That said, Toko stalked closer over to him...but abruptly paused. Her eyes widened, and her hands flew to cover her nose. "W-Wait, no, I can't—!"

Toko sneezed.

* * *

_8:02 AM, Day 3_

_Farm House_

_1st Island_

Mukuro awoke with a start, eyes blinking rapidly before she started settling down. She had the vague notion she'd just had an upsetting dream...but it was already starting to fade from her memory, so she saw no use in dwelling on it. After a moment she gave a sigh, and pulled the sheets off of her body. She glanced over to the sleeping little girl next to her, and gently reached over to shake her awake.

"Come on Monaca, it's time to get up. It's morning now," she said.

The little girl with messy bedhead let out a mewl of displeasure. She buried her face into the pillow and mumbled, "Big Sis Mukky...can't Monaca have a few more minutes?"

Despite herself, Mukuro couldn't help but smile down at her. In some ways, Monaca reminded her a lot of Junko when she was younger. She could vividly remember her twin always hating waking up early in the morning too.

"I'm afraid not, Monaca. Not if we want to get breakfast. I'm sure your brother would be disappointed if you didn't show up," Mukuro pointed out, even as she herself got out of bed, and walked over to Monaca's wheelchair.

With a burst of energy that went against her supposed drowsiness, Monaca lifted her head and puffed out her cheeks. "Hmph! That's right, Monaca needs to make sure she gets the best spot right next to Big Brother! Well...maybe Monaca can be encouraged to get up if Big Sis Mukky gives her a good morning hug first."

Mukuro rolled her eyes, and at the same time felt her brow twitch faintly. She was going to _strangle_ Ibuki for making this horrid nickname stick!

All the same, though, she walked over and bent down to hug Monaca, a fond smile still on her face. A moment later, she lifted up the little girl, and carried her over to her wheelchair, placing her gently inside it. "I hope that helped, Monaca. Now, if you're ready, we can go ahead and take a bath together, then get dressed for the day. If we're lucky, maybe we'll get in the bathroom first.

What no one had told her, and what was now becoming the bane of her existence, was the fact that the farm house had only one bathroom. _Only. One._ And there were five people living in this dump! Suffice to say, the mornings and evenings brought on challenges that Mukuro could dearly do without.

"Whee!" Monaca threw her arms in the air, her cherubic face the very picture of good cheer, as she was wheeled along by Mukuro. "Big Sis Mukky goes faster than anyone else—it's almost like being on a rollercoaster! At least, this is what Monaca imagines a rollercoaster is like?"

Mukuro chuckled good-naturedly, wheeling Monaca along. It didn't take long to reach the bathroom on the second floor...unfortunately, the door was closed, and Yasuhiro was propped up next to it.

"Oh god damnit," Mukuro groaned, her eyebrow twitching in renewed annoyance. If Hiro was waiting here, that meant Miu was in the bathroom, and god only knew how long she'd take. Byakuya, bless him, at least had the courtesy to only use the bathroom when everyone else was asleep, or away from the house. Which meant it could only be Miu inside.

"Oh, hey Mukky and Mona-chii! Miu only just got in there, so it looks like we're gonna be waiting a while," Yasuhiro explained as he ran a hand through his bushy and unruly dreads.

For a brief moment, the hint of distaste flitted across Monaca's face before she turned to Mukuro, completely ignoring the older boy. "So, Monaca had a really interesting dream last night! She and Big Brother were sailing the seven seas together on top of a pink narwhal—do you think it means anything?"

Mukuro briefly glanced at Hiro, before deciding to likewise ignore him as she addressed Monaca instead. "Well, I'm not too sure. Perhaps you want to keep traveling around with Rantaro? From what I've heard, you two have been all over the world, and then some."

Hiro whistled as he stroked his chin. "Wow, that must have been pretty pricey. Y'know, if you want to make some good money, I just recently found out about an awesome marketing strategy. It could definitely fund a ton of trips around the world."

Monaca pouted at the older girl while, once again, ignoring Hiro. "No, no, no! It's super duper important that it was a pink narwhal—pink! Although Monaca does want to keep traveling with Big Brother, it must mean something more than just that, don't you think?"

"I'm sure it does, Monaca," Mukuro patiently replied, before glancing over at Hiro. Despite her better judgement...well, she couldn't help but feel curious. Besides, it wasn't as if she had anything better to do while waiting here. "...And what strategy is that, Hiro?"

"It's a little investment opportunity that Usami was telling me about. I just had to pay her a small starting fee, and she assured me that if I follow the program and bring a few friends in on it, I'll get like, triple my money back in no time!" he exclaimed with a thumbs up.

A small giggle couldn't help but escape the wheelchair-bound girl before she raised her hand. "Oh, oh! Monaca knows the answer! It sounds like you fell for a pyramid scheme. Even grade-schoolers aren't as gullible as you!"

Hiro waved dismissively with a large smile. "What? No way, I think I would have known if there was something fishy going on. Look, if you're interested it's called, 'Usami's Global Level Yellow Foundation Using Combat Kinship Erases Reality' and with a fancy name like that, it has to be legit!"

Mukuro stared at him for a long moment, before letting out a derisive snort. She shook her head, unable to keep the amusement out of her tone as she said, "First of all, that name sounds extremely nonsensical. Second, of course it's a pyramid scheme, you idiot. What else would something like this be?"

"Look, just because the chart Usami showed me _looked _like a pyramid structure, doesn't mean it is!" Yasuhiro defensively proclaimed. "Besides, why would she lie...okay, that's a stupid question, but still! Do you have any _proof_ it's a pyramid scheme?!"

Mukuro remained silent for a long moment, before her a smirk graced her lips.. "...Hiro, tell me, what exactly does the acronym of that organization spell out?"

He ticked his head to the side as he looked like all the gears in his brain began turning faster than they ever have before. "Spell out? Uh hold on... U-G-L-Y-F-U-C... Aw dammit! I put all my savings for my new crystal ball into this!" Hiro cried out as he clutched the sides of his head.

"Hehe, it's sooo true! Hiro is an ugly fu—oh, woopsies! Monaca would never say such a naughty word, nope!" The little girl covered her mouth with a sleeve before continuing to giggle at the loser's well-deserved misfortune.

"Well, you only have yourself to blame for this one, Hiro. Honestly, how did you ever think accepting any sort of business deal from a homicidal rabbit would ever be a good idea?" Mukuro questioned, shaking her head in exasperation. "Still, it can't be that bad. How deep are you in for? I imagine a crystal ball can't cost much...maybe twenty bucks? Thirty?"

"Uh... well it's more like ten... thousand..." Hiro muttered as he dropped to his knees, tears already streaking down his face

"Ten thousand what? Yen? Rupees? Zimbabwe dollars?" Monaca asked innocently, rocking her head to and fro like a pendulum.

"Hiro, you're terrible with money. Quite frankly, if you're willing to spend 10k on a crystal ball, you deserve getting financially ruined," Mukuro bluntly declared, her tone devoid of even an ounce of sympathy. "And quite frankly, I don't see anyone else willing to join this pyramid scheme. And the only ones with enough money to dig you out of this hole, like Sonia...I doubt they'd be willing to throw a single yen your way."

Hiro shakily got to his feet, sobbing the whole time. "I'm just... I'm just going to go back to bed..." he said as he turned away lumbering back down the hallway. He could barely be heard muttering about the ball being owned by famous people, and has to be worth it.

"Eww, he hasn't even used the washroom yet. Does that means he's planning to go on his bed?" Monaca chimed before staring at the door. "Big Sis Miu sure is taking her time, huh?"

Almost as if she heard her, the door suddenly opened up and Miu strode out, dressed in one of her bunny girl outfits. She looked vaguely disgruntled, and paused only to glance at the two of them. "Bathroom's all yours, shit-for-brains."

That said, she walked off. Mukuro glanced back at her for a brief moment, before turning her attention back to Monaca.

"Well, looks like it's our turn next. Shall we, Monaca?" she asked.

With a cheery smile, the little girl clapped her hands together. "Ooh, can Big Sis Mukky braid Monaca's hair? She wants to try something new and give Big Brother a surprise!"

"That sounds just fine Monaca," Mukuro replied, closing her eyes as she reached down to ruffle Monaca's hair. After that, she proceeded to scoop the girl up into her arms, and walked the both of them into the bathroom, shutting the door on her way in.

* * *

_?_

_?_

_?_

_Nothing._

_No light, no sound._

_No form, no voice._

_No knowledge of who I am._

_...Who I am?_

_Who am I?_

_Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? _

_ REMEMBER _

_WHAT _

_WAS_

_LOST_

_WORLD DESTROYER _

Kaede woke up with a start, giving a slight groan as she felt her head aching in pain. She winced, bringing up a hand to clutch at her temples. Oh god, why did her head hurt so much?! Was she dying?! Had she been hurt? What…

….

Oh, right.

In a sudden flash of memory, Kaede recalled _everything_. Well, mostly everything. She remembered the game of strip poker she'd had with Ibuki, Tsumugi, and Chihiro...how much they'd had to drink...and Chihiro revealing that she was actually a _he._ Kaede _still _found that hard to believe. After that, though…

Huh, she couldn't really recall much of what happened afterwards. Just some flashes of memories she couldn't make sense of. She must have had a _lot _to drink last night if she couldn't even remember going to bed!

….

Wait, wait. _Was _she even in bed?

With a start, Kaede realized she couldn't recognize her surroundings! And she certainly didn't feel like she was lying in her bed! In fact, she was slumped over more than anything else, and it felt like she was in a small, enclosed space. Wait, was she…?

Kaede slowly got to her feet, using her hands to feel her surroundings. Once she was on her feet, her eyes came face to face with a series of horizontal slits carved into her unknown surroundings, allowing a glimmer of light to shine in her dark world, as well as give her a glimpse into what lay outside.

….

Well, that confirmed it. She was...inside of a locker, in the locker room.

"...How the hell did I even end up here?" Kaede asked herself. She tried her best to wrack her brain for her memories, but...nope, nothing. Data not found.

God, how much had she had to drink last night?!

Well, this was both annoying _and _concerning, but it wasn't that big a deal. Kaede reached for the handle to get out of the locker—

"Hello? Is someone in here?"

—Only to freeze in place, when she heard a familiar, but decidedly _masculine _voice speak up. With wide eyes, Kaede quickly looked through the slits, and saw a half-naked Shuichi across from her.

Oh. Oh. _Oh. _She wasn't in the girls locker room...she was on the boy's side! _Oh god!_

Kaede reflexively covered her mouth with both hands, as she felt her internal panic start to build. Oh god, she was trapped in the boys locker room! What the hell was she going to do?! She couldn't leave now! Shuichi would see her, and he'd think she was a _pervert _if he found her like this! But she couldn't stay here either, she didn't want to violate Shuichi's privacy! She could never look him in the eyes again if she did!

God, what was she going to do?! What option did she even have? She just...had to wait for Shuichi to leave. That...seemed to be her best option, if she didn't want to be branded a peeping tom. She just had to hope Shuichi had just showered, and was getting ready to leave—

—And Shuichi, seemingly satisfied that he was just hearing things, proceeded to strip fully as he pulled down his pants and boxers.

….

Kaede felt her eyes grow even wider, as a warm blush started spreading across her cheeks. Her throat suddenly felt dry, and it felt as if her clothes had gotten a lot...tighter, all of a sudden.

Before she could even comprehend what she was seeing, someone else stepped into view, opening up a locker alongside Shuichi as he too started stripping.

"Good morning, Shuichi," Korekiyo greeted with a nod. "I hope you are doing well this fine morning."

"Ah, good morning, Kiyo. I ah, guess I'm doing well enough. Didn't get as much sleep last night as I wanted, though…" Shuichi replied, pausing as he gave a slight yawn.

Kiyo nodded at that, and for the first time since Kaede had met him, he took off his face mask. Her jaw dropped, Kaede caught off guard completely as Korekiyo revealed his surprisingly feminine looking mouth and jawline. The only thing missing from completing that image was some lipstick or something. In fact, if she didn't know any better, she would have thought she was looking at a woman!

When Kiyo dropped his pants however...well, any illusions her mind had were shattered, as Kaede in fact discovered that Korekiyo was _very much _a man.

If this were one of Tsumugi's animes, Kaede was fairly certain her ears would be erupting steam right about now. As it was, however, her face felt plenty hot! Her conscious screamed at her to look away, to stop being an actual pervert, but she just couldn't take her eyes off of this glorious, illicit sight before her.

As if two naked men weren't enough, a third stepped into the picture: though while Shuichi and especially Kiyo displayed more feminine features, there was no doubt whatsoever that this guy was a _man._

"Morning," Mondo chimed in, already removing his jacket. His undershirt soon followed, revealing his muscular physique to the unknown observer in the room. The rest of his clothes soon followed, offering Kaede another glimpse of heaven.

...Well, if Kaede was sure of something, it was this: Mondo Owada had an ass to _die_ for!

Wait, no! Bad brain! Bad! She was peeping on her friends here, and objectifying them! That was so totally wrong! She shouldn't be enjoying this so much! She...she…

When had she slipped her hand under her skirt?

To her absolute mortification, Kaede realized that her traitorous right hand had started sliding down her body, and was dangerously close to touching her panties. She immediately stilled her hand, though that didn't stop her from becoming fully aware of a certain..._sensation _she was feeling down there. It was...

Arousal. Oh _god, _she was getting turned on by this!

Kaede felt a renewed sense of shame fill her, though that didn't stop her traitorous eyes from drinking in the sight of Mondo, Korekiyo, and Shuichi's naked bodies, the trio still in front of her as they had an idle chat. If anything, it made her arousal all the worse, which in turn caused some dangerous thoughts to filter up to her mind.

...Would it be so bad? It wasn't...like she was hurting anyone. And she hadn't...done _it _since waking up on the island. She really needed to blow off some steam...plus, who knew how long she'd be stuck in here? The boys didn't show any signs of moving right now…

Wait, no, she couldn't! It was such a _bad _idea! Besides, what if she got caught? They'd label her a pervert for sure, and no one would ever look at her the same way again! Her reputation would be ruined!

It was in that moment, however, that Mondo dropped his towel, and bent down to pick it back up. Kaede lost her train of thought after that.

She swallowed thickly, and after a moment, her hand started trailing back down her waist, slipping underneath her skirt. Her fingers brushed over the hem of her panties—

"Gentlemen, I don't think we're alone here." Korekiyo suddenly spoke.

It was like a bucket of ice cold water had been dumped on her. Kaede immediately froze up, and it took everything she had to not gasp aloud. She covered her mouth again, trying to breathe as quietly as possible, praying to anyone who was listening that she'd misheard Kiyo.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Shuichi asked.

Kiyo tapped his chin in thought, as he cocked his head to one side. "If you two keep quiet, you'll hear it too. I can hear it quite clearly...the sound of someone breathing heavily. We are not alone in this room. I do believe we have a voyeur among our midst."

That said, he started stalking forward, heading straight toward Kaede's locker. Kaede felt her heartbeat skyrocket, her voice dying in her throat as her worst fear came to life. Kiyo came closer and closer, his hand reaching toward the locker door…

...And he opened the locker right next to her, causing Toko Fukawa to tumble on out.

"T-Toko?!" Shuichi stuttered out, eyes widening as his hands flew to immediately cover his crotch.

Toko stared at him wordlessly, mouth hung open in surprise, before she scrambled to her feet, and dashed out of the locker room.

A long moment of silence passed before Kaede felt the tension ease out of her body. She gave a quiet sigh of relief, at ease now that she wasn't about to be discovered. Oh god, she'd thought she was done for for sure!

"Well, looks like you have a secret admirer, Shuichi," Kiyo proclaimed, giving a small chuckle as he glanced over at him.

He shuddered, looking ill at ease as he stared at where Toko had been hiding. "I-It's nothing like that, believe me. Um, can we go ahead and get in the showers? I...wanna forget what I just saw."

Kiyo and Mondo nodded at that, and the trio left to get into the showers proper.

Kaede waited a minute, making sure they weren't coming back, before quietly opening her locker and tip-toeing out of it. After that, she dashed as quietly as she could out of the room, not wanting to risk getting caught. She'd pushed her luck far enough here, after all!

And as if Fate itself was determined to screw her over, Kaede bumped right into Rantaro as she turned the corner away from the boys side.

"Oh! Sorry about that," he apologized, taking a step back. After a moment he blinked, however, and stared at her curiously. "Wait...isn't this the boys side of—?"

"I-I'm so sorry!" Kaede blurted out, her face turning the worst shade of crimson, before she darted past him and out the door.

* * *

_12:05 PM, Day 3_

_Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

"You cannot be serious," Akane deadpanned, eyeing Rantaro as if he was the scum of the earth. And in that moment, he was.

Rantaro, for his part, only smiled at her in response. "And what's so wrong with wanting to take you out on a date?"

Akane felt her eyebrow twitch slightly, as she glared over at him. Leave it to Rantaro to bring up something as sentimental and asinine as this! They already had a pretty simple and casual relationship, so why the hell did he want to mess it up like this?!

She gave an aggravated sigh, wondering how they'd even gotten to this subject. At the same time, she finally rolled off of him, sinking beside him onto his bed, his sheets haphazardly covering her naked body.

"Hell of a question to ask after having sex," she grumbled, crossing her arms under her breasts.

"True enough," Rantaro acknowledged, giving a small laugh. "Still, I don't see the harm in asking. I mean, we're already sleeping together. If anything, we're sorta working backwards from how a typical relationship works."

"Yeah, well, we don't have a typical relationship," Akane retorted, rolling her eyes. "I don't know why you want to make things weird by asking me on a date."

"And how does asking you as a date to the party make things weird? If anything, most women would see it as quite the opposite," he pointed out with a light smile. "Or are you just saying you only like me in bed, and that's it? Not going to lie, that kinda hurts!" Rantaro followed up, giving a fake mock pout.

"It...it just is, okay?!" Akane snapped, scowling at him as she turned away. She muttered under her breath, trying to resist the urge to slap some sense into him. "And what if I did, eh? I mean, maybe your dick just happens to be the most useful thing to me."

That wasn't true, of course, but she wasn't about to let him know that! "Besides...I'm not the type of girl you take out on dates. Hell, I've never even _been_ on a date before. Before you, most of the time I've spent with a single guy was an hour, at most. Those guys wanted me to be their whore, not their girlfriend."

Rantaro blinked for a moment, before shaking his head somewhat disappointedly. "Wow, ok." he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I can't tell which is more insulting... the fact that may or may not just like me for my dick, or that you think I see you as a whore." he joked, yet there was a semi serious tone in his voice.

"You can't seriously believe everything you just said right now, no? Or do you want me to tell you all the reasons I like you? And yes, if that's what it takes, I'll do it!" Rantaro smirked at her challengingly.

Akane finally looked back over at him, raising an eyebrow. She tried to keep her expression neutral...but at the same time, she felt an odd flutter in her stomach. She did her best to ignore the odd, unfamiliar sensation as she sneered, "Oh yeah? Well, tough guy, now I've _got_ to hear this! Go ahead, tell me then!"

Rantaro lightened his smile, as he looked upwards in thought. "Alright, let's see here... To start, you're always so full of energy, and I love that. Each and every new experience and challenge you come across never daunts you, if anything it emboldens you more." He faced her, rubbing a finger on his chin in thought. "You are also the one person who can keep up with me, and I mean that literally. Yet, despite your brash, almost tomboyish attitude, you're a kind soul. If you ask me, any man would be lucky to have you. As long as they can handle your high maintenance, which I'm proud to say that I think I can!" he laughed, looking at Akane. "So, how's that?"

Akane gave him his answer by pelting Rantaro in the face with a pillow. She turned away from him again, but this time to hide the blush that was spreading across her face. "Ugh, that sounded so sappy! I can't believe you actually said that!"

She paused after a moment though, and hesitantly glanced back at him. "But...fine, I'll at least _consider_ the idea. Happy?"

"Oh wow, the great Akane Owari is _considering_ accepting my offer of a date." Rantaro joked. "Ah well, can you at least dance with me at the party?"

"Dance?" Akane asked, appearing genuinely flabbergasted. After a moment she gave a snort, eyeing Rantaro with some amusement. "You know what...why not? If nothing else, I'm sure you'll make my night when you make a fool out of yourself busting a move."

Rantaro returned the snort with one of his own. "Me, make a fool of myself? You're the one with the manners of a monkey. I actually have some manners. After all, I once attended a ball in Novoselic hosted by the royal family." he gave her a pat on the back. "Dancing with a royal family is a tad different than dancing with strangers in a bar."

Akane scoffed, before reaching over to slug Rantaro in the shoulder—his non injured one, of course. "Well _excuse me_, Prince Rantaro. I should have known better! Remind me though...which one of us was it again, that ignored every single warning that was given to them, and drank the tap water in Roanapur? You were puking your guts the rest of the day! Even if you _did_ dance with royalty, I have to wonder if they were too polite to tell you you were making a fool of yourself."

She grinned wide at him, and added, "In fact, why don't we ask Sonia? I'm sure she'd be _delighted_ to tell me all about that ball!"

Rantaro's brows furrowed uncertainly, but he raised his chin in challenge. "Alright then, I don't mind. You go do that!" he huffed, folding his arms. "Also, not sure what drinking bad tap water has to do with dancing?"

"Oh, nothing much besides demonstrating your history of _poor_ judgement," Akane replied with a smirk. "Although, I'm a bit surprised you wanna dance with me at all. Feels like you'd make poor little Monaca jealous; I'm sure she's looking forward to dancing with her big brother."

"Hey, don't drag Monaca into this!" he replied defensively. A moment later, though, a teasing grin appeared on his face. "If anything, YOU should be the one who's worried. Monaca can be like a little wolverine when she sees me near other women. Or... maybe that's why you're scared of dancing with me? You're scared of my baby sister?"

"Scared of Monaca? Please, as if I'd ever be scared of her! She's just a little kid!" Akane scoffed. Sure, Monaca seemed..._off_ at times, but she grew up with Rantaro, of course she'd be weird. Seriously, what was the worst that could happen?

"Monaca is NOT a little kid! Monaca is eleven years old and almost a teenager!" came a sudden, unexpected voice beneath the bed.

A _long_ moment of silence passed before Monaca slowly crawled her way from under Rantaro's bed using her arms. Once she was halfway out, she stopped and flipped herself over, so she could look up at the both of them. "Oh. Um. Surprise, Big Brother! Monaca was hiding under your bed all along! Yay!"

Rantaro's face paled, as he quickly covered himself and Akane with his sheets. "MONACA! Why were you in here?!" He screamed, clearly disturbed and shaken up.

"Well, Monaca wanted to surprise you big brother! She wanted to sneak into your room, get under your bed, and get out and scare you when you came in!" Monaca declared, sounding rather proud of herself. "But Monaca felt a little sleepy, and took a nap. When she woke up, you were here making weird noises with Big Sis Akane. Monaca hoped she could sneak out of here when you left, but it seems Monaca blew her cover..."

Akane glanced over at her, looking a little nervous before she got out of bed, and started picking up her clothes. "I, uh, think I'll go ahead and leave now. I'll...think about what you said, Rantaro."

"Yeah, thanks... I'll talk to you later Akane..." Rantaro stuttered awkwardly, turning to Monaca. "Hey, turn around, alright? I need to get dressed..."

As Akane hastily put her clothes back on, she couldn't help but reconsider her opinion of Monaca. Especially when she twisted herself right around once her brother started dressing too, an eager gleam in her eye the whole time...

There was a _story_ behind all this, Akane was certain of that much. But right now, she did _not_ want to get in the middle of this.

* * *

_1:37 PM, Day 3_

_Old Hotel Building_

_1st Island_

Byakuya, Teruteru, and Nagito had spent most of the morning cleaning up the old hotel, so by the time Kaede and the girls were ready to hold auditions, the place was ready for them. Furthermore, a search of the storage room in the airport revealed that a set of drums were indeed there. With Mukuro and Byakuya's assistance, they'd set up the drums in the dining hall, close to the grand piano itself.

Unfortunately, setting up the drums had been the easy part. The actual auditions...

"I never knew someone could murder music so thoroughly, but Yasuhiro's attempts at the drums sure proved that," Kaede groaned, leaning back in her chair. She, Sayaka, and Ibuki had commandeered a table for themselves, waiting to see if anyone else would show up to audition. "So much for him being a 'master drummer'. I swear, he almost made my ears bleed!"

Sayaka cringed, thinking back to the Clairvoyant's... interesting performance. "This is what I feared would happen." she sighed, fiddling with a loose strand of her hair absentmindedly.

"Our options are unfortunately limited. Is there anyone else that may be talented? What do you think Ibuki?" Sayaka asked, turning to her curiously. "You've been awfully quiet today. Is something wrong?"

"Eh? O-of course! Ibuki is fine!" Ibuki squeaked, snapping out of her thoughts. "Ibuki thinks we should just keep trying! Yeah!" she halfheartedly smiled, attempting to sound normal.

Kaede raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Ibuki a moment later. "Are you...sure about that, Ibuki? You sound a little...well..._weird_, and not in your usual way. Oh, are you still a little, ah...hung over from last night? Considering how much you and Tsumugi had to drink last night, I'm not too surprised..."

"Y-yeah! That's it! Ibuki just had too much to drink! Now we should get back to the auditions!" Ibuki laughed nervously.

Sayaka gave a soft hum, glaring at Ibuki appraisingly. "No, that's not it, is it?" Upon seeing her panicked face, she gave a small smirk. "There's something else going on. Call it my intuition, but it has never led me astray before!"

Kaede turned her full attention over to Ibuki, her curiosity sparked now. Had something embarrassing happened to Ibuki last night? Kaede couldn't remember much after the conclusion of the strip poker game. Anything after that was just a hazy blur to her. Hell, she still wasn't sure how she'd ended up in a locker in the boy's side of the showers!

"What's wrong, Ibuki? I don't remember much after...ah, the card game, was it something that happened after that?" she guessed. A moment later she gave a slight giggle and joked, "What, did you end up in bed with Tsumugi or Chihiro or something?"

"..." Ibuki remained silent, staring down at the floor expressionless.

"Oh my god, you did, didn't you?!" Sayaka's eyes widened incredulously. "Well, you might as well spill the beans now! It'll be our secret, right Kaede?"

"Ibuki!" Kaede exclaimed in a scandalized, disbelieving tone. She couldn't help but stare at the other girl now, fully forgetting about the auditions. "You've got that right Sayaka! Ibuki, you've _got_ to tell us what happened! Who was it? How did it feel? Did you use protection?!"

She hesitated, unable to look her two friends in the eyes. "...Ibuki had too much to drink, and wasn't thinking straight." she started slowly, in an attempt to defend herself. "And Ibuki... got handsy with Chihiro. Ibuki thinks Chihiro had too much to drink too... it was all a blur, but Ibuki remembers taking Chihiro back to my room, and... you know. Now Chihiro won't even look at Ibuki..."

Sayaka simply looked over at Kaede, who wore an equally baffled expression, unable to find the proper words.

Likewise, Kaede wasn't even sure how to react to that, much less what to say. Ibuki and Chihiro had slept together?! Oh god, last night had _really_ gotten crazy hadn't it? How could she not remember any of this?! Jeez, to think those two had gotten so far...

"It's okay, Ibuki! These sorts of things just...happen. And Chihiro is, well, a shy and gentle b...er, girl. I-I imagine she feels as embarrassed and uncertain as you do!" Kaede consoled. At the same time, she glanced over at Sayaka.

She, Ibuki, and Tsumugi has promised to keep Chihiro's secret until he was comfortable enough to come out to everyone. Hopefully Sayaka's intuition wouldn't connect any dots there.

That worry only increased as she saw Sayaka raise an eyebrow, her eyes seeming to scrutinize her for what felt like an eternity. Eventually though, she turned back to Ibuki, reaching over and patting her on the shoulder. "Kaede is right. You need to talk to her and clear the air. Still, I suppose it is a good thing you're both girls, right? That means you don't have to worry about not wearing protection!"

Kaede felt a chill run down her spine at Sayaka's words, her left hand gripping the edge of the table tightly as she tried not to visibly react to that.

She took a moment to compose herself, a nervous smile working its way onto her face. "R-right! We can be very fortunate about that! A-and Sayaka's right. I'm sure if you two just sit down and talk, you could work things out. Wh-who knows, maybe Chihiro even enjoyed your night together!"

Ibuki nodded slowly, looking between the two. "Ibuki will take your advice, and find Chihiro after we perform."

"That's good! I'm sure you two can work this out, so try to relax and have fun!" Sayaka giggled, clapping her hands together. "I suppose we should get back to trying to find a drummer, girls? We still have a concert to worry about!"

"Good luck, Ibuki!" Kaede replied, giving a giggle of her own. "And true, that we do. No one else has decided to show up though...I'm starting to wonder if we're gonna have to go on without one..."

"You're still missing a drummer, are you?"

Kaede started, glancing over in surprise as she saw Byakuya walk into the dining hall. He carried a plate of drinks with one hand, marching over to them in quick order. "Good afternoon, Mistresses. I thought I'd go ahead and bring you all some tea while you held try-outs."

"Aw, thank you Byakuya, that's sweet! But unfortunately, we seem to be having no success..." Sayaka sighed, resting her head on her hand.

"Oohhh, Ibuki knows! Why doesn't Byakuya try to play the drums?!" she eagerly suggested.

"Ibuki, leave him be." Sayaka frowned. "Sorry, she just wants to really find a drummer to compliment her guitar."

"It's no trouble at all, I assure you. If it is your desire, I have no problem whatsoever auditioning," Byakuya replied, as he set the drinks down on the table.

Kaede took hers, taking a sip from it before focusing her attention back on him. "Well, do you have any experience with drums?"

"I have...dabbled in the past," he replied, a faint smirk twitching across his lips.

That said, he went over to where they'd set up the drums, and took a seat. He then grabbed the drumsticks, and started to play. Kaede wasn't sure what to expect, but as he launched into his drum solo, she couldn't help but stare at him. A dumbfounded look flashed over her features as Byakuya played his heart out, dishing out the best drum solo she'd heard in a long time: and certainly, it was the best audition they'd heard by far!

When he finally finished, he put down the sticks and glanced back over to them, bringing his hand up to reposition his glasses. "How was that, Mistresses? Was it satisfactory?"

"Ohhhh, Ibuki loves it! You win! You get to back Ibuki up with your epic drum skills!" Ibuki cheered.

Sayaka cleared her throat, even as she herself started to smile. "Ibuki, let's not be hasty... oh who am I kidding? You're amazing!"

"I gotta agree, Byakuya! That was incredible!" Kaede stated as she clapped her hands. She beamed at him cheerfully, adding, "I think we've got our drummer here!"

Byakuya smiled slightly, giving them a brief little bow as he got off of the drum set. "Very well then: if it is your desire, I would be glad to be the drummer in your performance. Just let me know when you wish to practice today. We've only got so much time until the party tomorrow, after all."

"Yes yes yes! Ibuki says we should get to work RIGHT NOW!"

"Oh dear. It's like trying to control a child." Sayaka sighed, but smiled nonetheless. "What do you think Kaede? Anything works for me!"

"Ha, I think I gotta agree with Ibuki. It's best to get in our practice right now, while we're pumped!" she declared, pumping a fist up in the air. "Well then Byakuya, are you ready to start jamming with us?"

"With pleasure, Mistress Kaede," he replied, giving a soft chuckle. "I must say, I quite look forward to this. It's been some time since I got to show off my musical skills. Let us do our best!"

* * *

_3:11 PM, Day 3_

_Rocketpunch Market_

_1st Island_

Mukuro walked into the Rocketpunch Market not expecting much, other than hoping to find some snacks for herself. Fate however seemed to have a different idea: as soon as she walked in, she could hear excessive yelling coming from further inside the store. With a sigh, she trudged her way over to the source: not entirely surprised to see that Tsumugi and Hifumi were making all the racket.

"Aha! An objective observer!" Hifumi glanced over at her, looking quite pleased with her sudden appearance. "My apologizes for all the noise Miss Ikusaba, but now that you're here, we can shut up this four-eyed troglodyte! After all, anyone who doesn't agree with the _objective fact_ that season three of Pretty Pudgy Princess is an absolute travesty and blight on an otherwise stellar show, _IS THE SCUM OF THE EARTH AND SHOULD GET CANCER AND DIE!"_

...What?

"Mukuro, tell him he's full of it!" screeched the normally more reserved Tsumugi like a banshee. "Sure, it wasn't up to the standards of the rest of the seasons, but they were just following the manga! They worked the best with what they had, and I for one was able to look past its faults and enjoy it! Back me up on this!"

"...Oh my god, you two cannot be serious," Mukuro groaned, raising a hand to massage her temples. She so did not have time to deal with this weeb bullshit!

"Oh, but we are, Miss Ikusaba! This is a matter of the utmost seriousness! This is the most serious discussion I've had all day!" Hifumi thundered, crossing his arms as he glowered at Tsumugi. "And you call yourself a real anime fan girl! You're nothing better than those fake gamer girls!"

Tsumugi gasped, recoiling in anger. "How absolutely dare you sir! I'll have you know that my fans in the cosplay world almost certainly far outnumber fans of your ludicrous and perverse work! Why, I could sell them my used bathwater and they'd buy it!" she pushed her glasses up on her face, giving a huff. "Nobody would ever buy anything from you other than your work! Because your fans are only in it for the smut! There, I said it!"

"_REEEEEEEE!"_ Hifumi screeched, his face flaring up into a dangerous shade of red. He waved his arms back in forth in his fury, before pointing dramatically at her. "You take that back, you cosplay thot! I'll have you know that most of my fan base buys my doujins more for the art itself than the smut! They love the beauty present within my artwork! And if that beauty happens to be a tentacle monster violating a young girl of dubious legal age, than I—!"

"Okay, stop! For the love of god, stop!" Mukuro cried, giving a small shudder. "That was way more than I wanted to hear. How the hell did you two even end up on this topic, anyway?"

Tsumugi frowned, her red face slowly beginning to turn back to a normal shade. "Well, I thought that MAYBE Hifumi and I would be able to discuss anime together and have a productive conversation, after all it's been quite awhile since I have been able to talk with anyone who can keep up with me." she admitted, before her rage induced face returned.

"But it turns out this tub of lard is only in it for the porn! The only reason he doesn't like the third season of Princess Piggles is because there's not any risqué content in it! How can you call yourself a true anime fan if the only reason you're watching it is to get your rocks off? Ah, that's right. Because you know you'd never find a person in real life, of course!" Tsumugi snarked, turning back to look at Hifumi.

"Ha, shows what you know! As I've said time and again, a 2-D girl is the only kind of girl I'd ever be interested in! There isn't a real woman alive who is as charming as any waifu, even the shit ones! Thus, I take _pride_ in my carnal interests in anime girls!" Hifumi declared, a smug look on his face as he planted his arms on his waist. "I have no sense of shame whatsoever in admitting I fap to 2-D! If anything, I'm more honest than _you_ are!"

"That really isn't something you should be proud of," Mukuro stated, giving a small sigh. She really could have gone without knowing how _proud _Hifumi was of his masturbation preferences. "Look, you both like this show, right? Can't you two agree on that much?"

Tsumugi paused for a moment, before shrugging. "Honestly? It's alright, I guess. I only brought it up to try to find common interests with Hifumi. Something I now sorely regret." She spat.

"Mm, I agree, the show isn't stellar, but it's fine enough," Hifumi agreed, nodding his head. "And as if I'd ever have any common interests with a Whore of Babylon like you!"

Mukuro could only shake her head, wondering why on earth she was even still here. She really should have walked out on them when she had the chance. "Okay, so this princess anime is a no-go. Can't you find something you both like and agree on? Like another anime or something?"

"Hmmm, ok, well let's see..." Tsumugi mused. "Oh, well my latest cosplay is Lucy from Fairy Tail! It's a little mainstream, I know; but I've really taken to the feel of the Celestial Wizard moniker. Plus, she's beautiful!" she paused, looking at Mukuro curiously. "Do you have a favorite anime?"

Mukuro paused, and despite her better judgement, she decided to give an honest answer. "...I guess I like Naruto, with what little I've watched of it."

"Naruto?! Seriously?" Hifumi cried, looking quite offended at her choice. "That is such a normie answer! Besides, the whole anime and manga falls apart at the end! It suffered a massive degrade in quality! Miss Ikusaba...you have shit taste in anime!"

"Yeah, exactly! I swear to god, if I hear the word 'dattebayo' ever again, I'm going to lose it." Tsumugi cringed, shaking her head. "I expected better from you, Mukuro, since you're like a real life anime protagonist yourself." She sighed. "So many dreams are being crushed today."

Mukuro felt her eye twitch a little, as she regarded the both of them. She idly wondered how satisfying it might feel to bash their heads together, but quickly dismissed the notion. It'd be far too troublesome to justify that course of action to the others. "Well, I suppose if nothing else, you two can agree that you don't like my taste in fiction."

"Huh, that we do!" Hifumi cheered, giving a triumphant little laugh. "Mm, it feels quite refreshing to rag on the anime choices of a normie, doesn't it Miss Shirogane?"

"Mhm. We got so lost in our own petty squabble, that we forgot that it's our duty to educate the normies and put them in their place." Tsumugi smirked. "Now, Mukuro, rejoice! For now we shall preach to you the error of your ways, and inform you of how you too, can become a true anime fan!"

Mukuro gave a slow, languid blink, before abruptly turning around. "I'm leaving."

However, she bumped into an immovable object that blocked her path. She backed up, a stark sense of confusion in her mind, as she saw Hifumi now somehow standing in front of her, blocking her path. "H-How did you—?"

"There's no escape for you now, Miss Ikusaba!" he declared, giving a surprisingly sinister laugh. "Between me and Miss Shirogane...we'll make a real anime fan out of you yet! Or my penname isn't Daichi Fusaka!"

With that said, he gave a cackle, stalking forward. Mukuro of course backed up...only to bump into Tsumugi. Eyes wide, she glanced back at her, hoping to see a shred of mercy in her eyes.

Tsumugi, however, had a devious glint in her eyes, pushing her glasses up on her face, as she giggled... but not in a happy and playful manner.

"You may have been trained in Fenrir, but that is still nothing compared to the sheer willpower and determination of us Otakus. I'm sorry about this... actually, no I'm not. You should have backed me up earlier. Then this could have all been avoided..."

The last conscious thought Mukuro had, before her mind was overloaded with an endless diatribe about anime and manga, was that _she did not get paid enough to put up with this bullshit!_

* * *

_With special thanks to JC, Trust, and Petty for helping me write this chapter! You guys rock!_

* * *

_Review Replies:_

_CSD: Hail Chihiro, King of the Harem and Conqueror of Women. Long may he reign!_

_Kobold: Glad you enjoyed it! I sure had fun writing those scenes._

_Trust: Nagito sure has taken an interest in Mukuro. Who knows if anything will come of it though?_

_D-Kirb: Best have those moments while we can! And Drunk Tsumugi is best Tsumugi lol._

_JC: Believe me, I was tempted lol. And indeed, it's only a matter of time..._


	12. Blood Moon Rising, 1-7

_4:09 PM, Day 3_

_Jabberwock Park_

_Central Island_

After band practice had come to an end, Kaede was ready to start planning for the party itself. Or rather, ready to outsource that job to someone else. Planning a get-together sounded like a big job, too much for just one person...which was why she had the perfect candidates in mind to help her out!

She found Korekiyo and Sonia at the park on the central island, the two of them sitting on a bench together as they chatted; well it seemed more like Sonia was talking and Kiyo was taking notes, but that hardly mattered. At the same time though, Kaede couldn't help but blush upon seeing Kiyo, as she recalled the events of that morning.

God, how could she face any of the boys after that?! And it didn't help that she couldn't help but keep picturing Kiyo naked...

Ugh, whatever! She could worry about that later. She had a party to plan now!

"Sonia, Kiyo! Just the two people I wanted to see!" Kaede greeted as she approached them. "How are you two doing?"

Sonia's eyes sparkled as she greeted Kaede with a smile. "Oh, Kaede! Hello! I was just informing Korekiyo on many of Novoselic's customs and way of life. It is very rare that anyone takes an interest in my homeland! You're welcome to join us if you so wish to!"

"Yes, Kaede, you're welcome to join us. In fact, I must insist. I think the extra company would serve us well," Korekiyo added, chuckling slightly as he closed his little journal.

Though before he did, Kaede was able to get a brief glance at the page he was writing on. She didn't have enough time to really register it, but a particular sentence caught her attention. It was underlined twice, and printed twice the size of the rest of his words, so how could it not grab her attention?

**_What on earth is a Makango?!_**

Kaede...wasn't sure what that was either, so she decided not to comment on it. Instead, she smiled brightly at the two of them, and said, "Actually, I was hoping to ask a favor of you two! See, I need some extra help in planning out the party tomorrow, and you two struck me as people who might enjoy that! So, would you be up for it?"

Sonia's eyes widened in almost childlike wonder, stars in her eyes as she clapped her hands together in excitement. "Oh, yes! I would be delighted! I have never experienced a true casual party with close friends!" she stood up, startling Kaede as she grasped the Pianist's hands. "It is as they say, we shall make this party 'the bomb!' I even have experience planning such events, back in my home country, the royal family often hosted various parties for foreign dignitaries. Just tell me where the golden banners are stored and I shall hang them right away!"

Kaede blinked rapidly, not quite sure what to say to Sonia's enthusiasm. Kiyo managed to save her however, speaking up for her.

"I am afraid there aren't any golden banners for you to hang, dear Sonia," he proclaimed, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Such things usually aren't displayed during a 'casual' party."

"Oh, I see. My apologies." she visibly deflated, frowning. "As I said, I have never experienced such things a casual setting. Please forgive me! I still wish to help, however. Kaede, Korekiyo, I would be happy if you all allowed me to help, and learn in the process. Oh, we could consider this a cultural exchange!" she turned back to Kiyo, her smile returning. "After all, I did teach you about Novoselic, no?"

"That you did," Kiyo acknowledged, nodding his head. He stood up after a moment as well, towering both girls quite easily. "Well then, I think it's settled: we'd both be delighted to help you out, Kaede."

"Ah, great! That's just what I wanted to hear. Thanks, guys!" she replied, sighing in relief.

She gave Sonia a relieved smile as well, happy the two of them were willing to take on such a burden. However, she still couldn't quite look Kiyo in the eyes, though that only ended up making her look down instead...which meant she made eye-contact with his crotch. A fact that made Kaede blush even harder, as she averted her eyes off of Kiyo entirely.

Sonia, completely oblivious to Kaede's embarrassment, was already raising a finger to her chin in thought. "Hm, I have read that good food and music is essential to a good party. I suppose we already have several talented musicians, and Teruteru shall make the perfect food... oh, Kaede dear, your face is red. Are you feeling alright?" Sonia asked worriedly, finally noticing the Pianist's flustered expression and red face.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine! Absolutely fine!" Kaede was quick to say, giving a nervous little laugh. Still keeping her eyes off of Kiyo, she said, "I-I just feel a little, ah...h-hot is all. D-Don't worry about it!"

"Are you sure about that, Kaede? You seem more...flustered than anything else," Kiyo observed, peering at her curiously as he stepped closer toward her. His eyes scanned over her body, much to her obvious discomfort, before sudden understanding appeared in his eyes.

"Ah, I see! I believe I've figured it out. You were in the locker room as well this morning, weren't you Kaede?" he inquired, giving a light chuckle.

"...Wh-what?!" Kaede stuttered out, her eyes growing wide.

"Hm? Locker room? Did I miss something?" Sonia asked, confused. "Kaede, what is he talking about?"

"Oh, it's a simple matter. This morning, I was in the locker room with some of the other men, and I could not help but get the sensation I was being...watched. It didn't take long for me to start hearing muffled breathing either. Of course, we found out that it was Toko in one of the empty lockers, leering at Shuichi...but, I had been wondering if she was the only one there. It seems I have my answer now. Between her difficulty looking at me and her own embarrassment at the question, I must conclude that Kaede was the other voyeur present in the men's locker room," Kiyo explained, closing his eyes and gesturing towards her with a finger as he spoke.

"W-Wait, I wasn't...i-it was an accident!" Kaede stuttered out, her face beet red. "I-I had too much to drink last night, and I w-woke up in the lockers...and before I could get out, boys just started coming in! I-I was trapped in there! I-I didn't mean to spy on anyone or anything!"

"Oh my, Kaede! How bold of you!" Sonia blushed, fanning her face as she looked away. "Is this what happens when a girl gets... what do they call it? Ah yes, I believe 'thirsty' is the term! Hm, is it quite possible you find Korekiyo attractive? How adorable!" she turned to the amused anthropologist. "Do you think Kaede is attractive, Kiyo?"

"S-Sonia!" Kaede protested, her face as red as it could get. "Don't ask him something embarrassing like that! A-And you're misunderstanding me!"

"Well, if I were to be completely honest...yes, I do. Kaede is quite the attractive young woman. As are you yourself, Sonia: as well as most of the women among our group," Kiyo replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Indeed, it is quite the interesting coincidence that most of the women here could be considered conventionally, even exceptionally, attractive."

"Why thank you! You're so sweet!" Sonia giggled, not even skipping a beat. "Though it is indeed true, isn't it? All the females here are quite pretty. Kaede, Tsumugi, Sayaka, Akane, Miu, Ibuki, and even Mukuro has a rugged attractiveness to her... oh, and of course Chihiro too! Ah, she's so precious!" Sonia gushed. "It really does make talking to everyone much easier!"

She then turned back to Kaede, giving her a soft smile. "There is no reason to be so uncomfortable. Be confident in yourself!"

"Um, th-thanks? I think?" Kaede said, not quite sure how to take that.

"Indeed, I must agree with Sonia here. There is nothing wrong with having a preference of voyeurism: it is a perfectly natural sexual kink. In fact, I imagine most of the men here would be perfectly content with having an attractive young woman such as yourself stare at their naked bodies," Kiyo added, giving another little chuckle.

"H-Hey! Like I said, it was an accident! An accident! I-I didn't mean to spy on you guys!" Kaede protested, stomping a foot against the ground. "Jeez, this is so embarrassing! C-Can you please keep this quiet, you two? I-I'm having a hard enough time as is with Rantaro knowing I was in there..."

"Very well! It shall remain a secret. A pact, if you will! To spill a close family member or friend's secret is considered an extreme dishonor. You can entrust it to me... and perhaps if you ever wish to have some 'girl talk', I am all ears!" Sonia smiled encouragingly. "Now, shall we resume with our original discussion?"

"R-Right, yes," Kaede replied, a small sigh escaping her lips. "Um, Byakuya, Teruteru, and Nagito cleaned out the old hotel building already. Whenever you two get to the first island, you can take a look and inspect the place yourself. I'm sure once you've seen it all you'll have a better idea for what to do for the party."

Sonia nodded, giving a serious look to the Pianist. "Indeed. Then I shall begin to head over right now. Kiyo, would you like to join me? We can finish our conversation from earlier. I have yet to tell you about how to inhale a skong properly!"

Korekiyo gave a slow, languid blink at that, and even appeared somewhat stricken at Sonia's words. Still, he composed himself after a moment and gave a simple nod. "Very well, I would be more than happy to escort you over to the hotel, dear Sonia. And I would be most...pleased to continue our conversation."

Kaede looked between the two of them, opening her mouth, before quickly closing it a second later. "Um, right. Well, uh, if there's nothing else, I guess I'll see you guys later!"

Sonia gave a brief wave as they began heading back to assist with the party, the princess already beginning to chatter excitedly to a clearly perplexed Korekiyo.

* * *

_5:43 PM, Day 3_

_Hotel Mirai Restaurant_

_1st Island_

"Honestly, I just don't understand him sometimes. He can be so infuriating at times, but also...at other times, it just feels like he _gets_ me, like no one else ever really has, you know?" Akane asked, as she wolfed down on a piece of smoked ham. Teruteru, who had taken a seat beside her after cooking her a 'small' pre-dinner meal, nodded sympathetically.

"Mm, I think I understand. My, Rantaro sounds like quite the invigorating lover! Can't help but feel a little jealous, especially after our fun the other night," Teruteru replied, giving an idle chuckle.

"Hey, don't cut yourself short, Teru. You were pretty fun yourself," Akane reassured, offering him a fanged grin. "But...well, no offense, but I've just known Rantaro a lot longer. Sure, he can be an annoyingly smug prick sometimes, but...we have _history_ together."

Teruteru nodded, and opened his mouth to speak, but stopped suddenly as Chihiro walked into the restaurant, looking rather uncertain and conflicted, surprisingly enough.

"Ah, hey there Chihiro!" he greeted, smiling kindly at the girl. "What can I do for ya? Looking for a pre-dinner snack or something?"

"U-um, no thank you, I'm not particularly hungry." she admitted, sitting quietly next to Akane. Chihiro hesitated for a moment, before mustering up the courage to speak. "I-If you don't mind me asking, can I get some advice?"

Akane raised an eyebrow, before giving a slight shrug. "Sure, Chihiro. What's up?"

Chihiro bit the bottom of her lip. "Um, so let's just say, hypothetically, that you had too much alcohol to drink, and do something... questionable, with a person, thus leading to an awkward situation?"

Upon seeing the weird expressions she was getting, Chihiro looked away with a blush.

Akane blinked rapidly, before a smile slowly spread across her lips. She stared at Chihiro with renewed interest, as did Teruteru as well.

"Well, that's not nearly enough detail to judge the situation! You have to give us more!" Akane declared with an enthusiastic grin.

"Yes, yes, tell us more! Who was the lucky guy...or lady? Don't worry, we won't judge," Teruteru added, giving Chihiro a wink.

Chihiro shook slightly, her face tomato red as she was unable to look them in the eye. After a moment she finally whispered out, "Ibuki..."

"Ibuki?!" Akane parroted, her eyes growing wide. "Holy shit, I didn't think you had it in you, Chihiro. Then again...Ibuki strikes me as someone who'd totally be all for girls love..."

"Mm, I agree! So then...what exactly _did_ you do with Ibuki, Chihiro?" Teruteru questioned, stroking his chin. "And more importantly, how did it feel? Ah, I mean, how did it _make_ you feel? Do you regret it?"

"I-I mean, does that matter?" Chihiro squeaked, hiding her face behind her hands. "Um, I mean, it wasn't bad... I mean, it was... do you really need that many details?!"

"No, but it never hurts," Akane replied, a cheeky grin on her face. After a moment though she reached over with a hand, patting her shoulder. "Sorry, we're just teasing you. We'll stop."

"Sorry about that Chi, didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Teruteru agreed, giving a sage nod. He leaned back in his chair, composing his thoughts.

"Well, here's a question for you Chihiro: have you even tried talking about Ibuki with this? I imagine she must feel as embarrassed and uncertain as you do," he pointed out.

"It's not that easy!" she squeaked out, shaking her head. "Everytime I see her, she's got this unreadable expression on her face, and she seems super quiet... I-I think I messed up." Chihiro mumbled. "What am I supposed to say? _'Hey, sorry about what happened, w-was I good?'_ I-It just isn't so simple!"

"Well, it's not gonna help matters if you keep avoiding her. How do you think that makes her feel?" Akane asked, giving a little scoff. Was this really how other people treated sex and relationships? If so, it only made Akane think that her way was far more simpler, and caused way less drama.

"Well, answer me this Chihiro: do you like Ibuki? Or at least consider her attractive?" Teruteru inquired, crossing his arms together. "Honestly, I think the best thing you could do is try to push past the awkwardness, and talk to her. If you're honest and open with Ibuki, you should be able to sort out your feelings in no time! Just avoiding her is really only gonna make things worse here."

"W-well..." Chihiro hesitated, fiddling with the hem of her dress, "I do think she's... attractive, and energetic... I've just never been good about being out there with people..."

Teruteru nodded, remaining silent a moment before speaking up again. "Well, think about it this way: if all goes according to plan, we're busting out of this joint the day after tomorrow. So you do want to leave things with Ibuki like this? After all, we have no idea what's going to happen if Usami actually lets us go. My point is: if you don't clear this up now, and don't get a chance to do it later...well, it'll be something you'll always regret. Do you really think you can live with something like that?"

Chihiro looked away contemplatively, clearly mulling over Teruteru's advice. After a good minute she seemed to come to a decision as her face lit up, before she gave a sudden, firm nod. "Okay! I'll try to talk to her at the party, I really don't want things to be weird between us. And...well, I'd feel awful if we couldn't clear this up before we leave."

"That's the spirit! You go get her, Chihiro! I'm sure Ibuki will make a woman out of you yet!" Teruteru cheered, giving a boisterous laugh.

Akane couldn't help but grin herself as she pat Chihiro's shoulder. "And don't forget: when in doubt, offer to eat her out. I'm sure Ibuki wouldn't mind that at all!"

Chihiro looked like she wanted to say something, but simply elected to shake her head in agreement. "R-Right, of course. Thank you both. Really! And, um, I think I will have something to eat after all, if you don't mind Teruteru. Oh, I didn't interrupt your conversation earlier, did I?" Chihiro frowned again worriedly.

"Nah, it wasn't anything too important," Akane replied, giving a dismissive way. She noticed Teruteru eyeing her at that, but he didn't comment on it nonetheless.

"Of course Chihiro! I'd love to cook something up for you. What'll it be?" he happily asked.

* * *

_6:30 PM, Day 3_

_Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

Mukuro trudged her way into the hotel complex, the look in her eyes showing a glimpse of how dead inside she felt. Ever so slowly, she shambled her way to Milan's cabin, hoping the girl would be inside. Once she was in front of her door, she mechanically raised her hand and knocked on it.

When Mikan opened the door, she'd find a rather startling sight: after all, it wasn't everyday she'd see Mukuro Ikusaba wearing an Ahegao hoodie.

"For the love of god," Mukuro began, her left eye twitching a little. "Please tell me you have something, _anything_, that will make me forget the last few hours of my life."

"M-Mukuro, hello." Mikan shyly greeted, while she processed what she was wearing and what she had asked for. "Um... I don't particularly have medicine to help forget things. Just basic pain medication that I found in the market."

"...I suppose overdosing on pain pills will do the job just as well," Mukuro allowed, nodding her head before moving past Mikan into her room, where she saw Mondo. The boy in question was sitting on Mikan's bed, grimacing as he rubbed his bandaged right hand.

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?" Mukuro inquired.

"Nah, Mikan's just patching me up..." Mondo began to reply, looking up upon hearing Mukuro. His eyes widened as he paused and let out a loud snort. "What the fuck are you wearing?"

"Shame, Mondo. Smut and shame," Mukuro dully replied, as she looked down at herself.

A few seconds paused, before she suddenly gripped the hoodie and in a frenzy, pulled it and the anime shirt she had underneath off of her body, leaving her in just her bra and pants. Without thinking Mukuro tossed the shirt and hoodie away, the garments smacking Mikan right in the face. Meanwhile, several items fell out of the hoodie's pockets as she tore it off of her body, including: a doujin, some sort of eroge game, an anime box set, and a box of tissues. The items were scattered all over the floor, while the doujin landed at Mondo's feet.

Mikan was of course caught off guard when the clothes hit her, causing her to flail around before she ended up falling to the ground, her arms and upper torso now somehow tangled amongst the questionable clothing. Because of this, she ended up landing spread-eagled, and flashed her panties to the both of them. "Wahh! Not again! Wh-wh-why does this keep happening to me?!"

"Oh, sorry..." Mukuro apologized, and after a moment she bent down to help Mikan to her feet, and untangle her out of those clothes.

Mondo had the grace to look away from the two of them, as he instead reached down to pick up the booklet at his feet. "So uh, what the fuck is this?"

"Hm?" Mukuro looked away from Mikan as she managed to free her from the hoodie and t-shirt. "Oh, that's one of Hifumi's doujins...I strongly recommend you _don't_ read it. Trust me, it'll scar you for life if you do."

Mondo however, was doing just that as he began to flip it open, his eyes widening with every page. "Princess Piggles? What the fu-" He stopped, reaching one page and pausing to observe it. The Biker's pupils shrunk, as he dropped the doujin and headed for the nearest trash can, hurling his last meal.

"I did warn you, you know. But...yeah...that's Hifumi Yamada for you, as I've _unfortunately_ learned. Or Daichi Fusaka, as he likes to call himself," Mukuro replied, giving a little shudder. "Hifumi thought it would be a _great_ present for me, after he and Tsumugi tortured me with anime for over an hour. Good god, I wish I could forget all that. I _never_ wanted to know what Futanari was but now. I. _Do_!"

"You're being silly, it certainly can't be that bad." Mikan said absentmindedly, sounding much more at ease. She walked over and grabbed the booklet Mondo had dropped, turning to the first page. She let out an eep with each one until she got to the middle. She threw it across the room with a scream. "Kill it, kill it with fire and nuke it just to be safe! What the hell is wrong with them? This is disgusting!"

Eventually Mondo recovered, standing back up and wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket, turning back to look at Mukuro. "Whoa who, hold up. Fatass's fake name is Daichi Fusaka? What...what's up with that?"

"It sure is, I can assure you," Mukuro replied absently, her eyes already scanning Mikan's room for something. "He said it was his pen name or whatever, something he used in the industry before he got famous. He even signed the book with that name. You can check for yourself if you want. In fact, take the damn thing and throw it into the ocean. The clothes and other stuff too. I _never_ want to see them again!"

Finally, her eyes located what she was looking for. She made a beeline over to a medical box Mikan had on her dresser, opening it up and snatching a bottle of pills from inside.

"Sweet relief at last," Mukuro sighed, before popping the bottle open. She tilted the bottle to her lips, fully intending on downing the whole thing.

Mikan cried out in alarm, and rushed over, snatching the bottle away from Mukuro before she could swallow it all. "Are you insane?! This much medicine will kill you! The last thing I want is for anyone to die, especially since I'm supposed to take care of you all!"

"Well maybe I _want_ to die! How can I live after seeing what I've seen?! Nothing in Fenrir prepared me for the sort of torture Tsumugi and Hifumi subjected me to!" Mukuro thundered, before her eyes lightened up. "Wait, I forgot...the market has booze! I can drink until I forget this whole day!"

"Hell, I might need some too, once this is all said and done." Mondo grumbled, picking up the risqué booklet, tucking it in a jacket pocket. "Hey, Mikan. Am I all good to go?"

"Y-yeah, you're all set Mondo. Make sure to take some medicine for the pain. And if you need any more bandages, I'll be more than happy to change them." she replied, giving the young man a smile. "And if you do decide to drink, make sure you don't take pills with it, okay?"

"Can't make any promises on that." he replied flatly, cracking his knuckles together experimentally. He turned to Mukuro, giving her a once over. "You're not usually the type I'd go drinking with, but you'll do for now. So how about it? I wanna see if the Ultimate Soldier is all talk and no action. I bet I can keep my drink down longer!"

Mukuro, however, was already heading out the door, a determined look in her eyes. She was muttering to herself, sounding quite unhinged as she uttered, "If I drink enough to get black out drunk, there's a good chance I can forget all of this. Any potential risk of humiliation while drunk is far better than remembering what happened today..."

"Oh dear, m-maybe I should tag along. It would be irresponsible to let two of my friends go out drinking without supervision." Mikan said softly, as she looked at the assorted otaku items Mukuro had dropped.

"Perhaps I can burn this stuff while I'm at it, yes that's a good idea!" she decided with a bright, beaming smile on her face.

"Damn right it is." Mondo chuckled, gently clapping Mikan on the back. "C'mon, let's catch up to the chick before she starts guzzling down the whole bar."

* * *

_8:32 PM, Day 3_

_Old Hotel Building_

_1st Island_

Several hours came and went, and dinner passed in the meanwhile. After finishing her meal, Kaede had gone into the old hotel building: specifically, the grand dining hall inside, where she'd held auditions just earlier that day. Tsumugi had told her she had a 'surprise' for her after dinner, and had directed her to the old hotel: so Kaede had gone ahead, and was waiting on her friend now.

"Just what is that girl planning?" she mused, leaning back against the far wall. Tsumugi had been pretty cryptic, she had to admit, which only made her ever more curious as to what was going on.

She finally got her answer a minute later, when Tsumugi opened the doors and strode right in.

"Ah, Kaede, you're here! Good!" she declared, before glancing back at someone behind her. "Well, don't just stand there. Come on in!"

Kaede peered past Tsumugi, wondering what was going on...and a moment later, she was _sincerely _glad she wasn't drinking any water, because she most assuredly would have just had a spit-take otherwise.

Blushing bright red and looking distinctly uncomfortable, Shuichi Saihara, the Ultimate Detective, walked in dressed in a maid uniform of all things. Even worse that that: he actually looked really hot and sexy in it.

Tsumugi gave a satisfied smirk as they walked deeper into the room, watching smugly as Shuichi stood there awkwardly beside her. She then looked over at the her sweetly. "Good evening, Kaede! how are you?"

Kaede gaped at the two, trying and failing to form a coherent sentence as she struggled to take in this wondrous, amazing sight. Her eyes went back and forth between Shuichi and Tsumugi, her mind at odds on who to focus on most. "I-how-when-_why?!"_

"I lost a bet I shouldn't have made," Shuichi groaned out, looking down dejectedly. "I was so sure Akane was going to win that fight...that Tsumugi and I made a little wager. And...well...here we are now."

Tsumugi giggled triumphantly, dramatically pointing a finger at him. "And now look at him! Its been a long time since I've been able to make a good maid outfit! What do you think Kaede? Am I good or what? I took into account all of his proportions and measurements!"

"And someone got a little handsy when they were taking my measurements," Shuichi grumbled, blushing even harder as he halfheartedly glared at Tsumugi.

"Tsumugi, this is just...the best thing, ever. Of all time. I-I didn't even know I wanted this, and now I can't live without!" Kaede exclaimed, a mesmerized look in her eyes as she stared excitedly at Shuichi. "You just...you just look so pretty a-and sexy, Shuichi! I-I can't stop staring at you!"

"Um...th-thanks, I think?" Shuichi mumbled in reply, obviously sure not how to take that. "W-Who am I even cosplaying as, huh? You never said, Tsumugi."

Tsumugi pushed up the glasses on her face dramatically, clearing her throat. "Alright normies, it is time I educated you! I clearly dressed Shuichi up as-"

"You know what, it really doesn't matter," Shuichi immediately interjected, cutting Tsumugi off. "Ugh, this is the most embarrassing night of my life. You really are a cold woman, Tsumugi."

"Come on Shuichi, don't be so hard on her! You know what you were getting in for when you made that bet!" Kaede countered, giving him a playful smile. A moment later though, her face flushed a little, and she stared at Shuichi anew. "Actually...um...how 'complete' is the outfit? I mean...is Shuichi wearing, um...p-panties?"

"Kaede!" he cried in response. "Y-You're not helping!"

"Oh, you bet your sweet little booty he is! I don't do anything halfway!" The Cosplayer said triumphantly, looking suggestively at Kaede. "You know, if you REALLY wanna know, I can prove it to you, if you want. Rightttt, Shuichi?"

"R-Right?" Shuichi echoed, sounding more confused than anything else. He seemed to get what she was hinting at a moment later though, as he immediately said, "W-Wait, I-I'm not so sure about this!"

"R-Really?" Kaede questioned, her face breaking out into a blush of it's own. She couldn't help but glance at him, swallowing thickly as she considered her options. "I...I, uh, m-might be interested..."

"MIGHT be? Girl, you're thirstier than a camel!" Tsumugi giggled. "You're a very lucky guy, Shuichi! Oh, won't you show Kaede? Maybe I can get Toko too?" She smirked upon seeing his horror struck face. "Most guys would kill to be in your position!"

"Th-That won't be necessary!" Shuichi quickly proclaimed. He looked around nervously, as if making sure no one else was in there with him. When he was satisfied they were alone, he sighed and gave a nod.

"O-Okay then..." he murmured, his face still quite flushed. He grabbed the hem of his skirt, and reluctantly pulled it up. It didn't take long to pull it up over his lap, revealing the set of black, lacy panties he'd been forced to wear...as well as the prominent bulge that pressed against said panties.

"Oh, wow..." Kaede whispered, wide-eyed at the sight. She'd seen Shuichi naked this morning of course, but this felt so much more...intimate, somehow.

"Geez, get a room." Tsumugi muttered under her breath, before shaking her head and turning back to Shuichi. "So, how does it feel? It's not too tight, is it?" she mused, genuinely curious. "Oh, I also made that faux bra for you! C'mon, don't be shy! Show Kaede the goods!"

"H-Hey, I'm not doing that! That was one thing, but...this would feel even more humiliating!" Shuichi protested, finally putting his foot down. "I-I know I don't have anything to show, but still, it'd be embarrassing!"

Kaede remained silent for a moment, still staring at Shuichi's exposed crotch, captivated by the sight as she was. "I-It looks pretty tight to me..."

"Huh?" Shuichi inquired, before looking down. Realizing he was still exposing himself, he hastily moved to pull his skirt back down. "I-It's not, really? At least, it wasn't until I got-!"

He abruptly cut himself off, eyes widening in distress at his near-slip. Though even without saying it directly...well, his words left little to the imagination.

"Oh my, Shuichi! I didn't know you were such a voyeur~" Tsumugi snickered. "Well, I'm not too cruel a mistress. After the party, you can take it off. I just want you to look your best tomorrow!"

"T-Tomorrow?! The agreement was just for tonight!" Shuichi exclaimed, staring over at Tsumugi in shocked. "A-And y-you're misunderstanding me! I-I'm not a-oh, forget it."

Shuichi sighed, closing his eyes briefly before he finally moved to take a seat at one of the tables. He looked quite disgruntled as he crossed his arms, letting out a heated sigh.

"Sorry, did I take it too far?" Tsumugi inquired, giving a slight wince. She moved to take a seat besides him, and patted his shoulder. "Hey, sorry about that. We're just teasing you, honest. If it makes you uncomfortable, we can stop."

Kaede nodded in agreement, choosing to sit on the other side of Shuichi. "She's right. Sorry, Shuichi, you must think I'm a massive pervert or something. I-I didn't mean to make you mad..."

Shuichi sighed again, and rubbed the back of his head after a moment, an apologetic look on his face. "No, it's not...that. I mean, this _is_ embarrassing, I just...have a lot on my mind right now, you know? I uh, didn't mean to lash out or anything."

A long moment of silence passed after that, leaving the three of them with their thoughts. After a good few minutes, Kaede felt ready to speak up, but someone beat her to the punch.

"Do you think you could play the piano again, Kaede?" Shuichi suddenly asked, breaking the awkward silence that had developed. "Um, not now, but...a little later maybe? I uh, don't want to wait til tomorrow to hear you play again."

Kaede blinked in surprise, finally glancing over at him. "...You're in a room alone with two girls, and the first thing you ask is for me to play the piano?"

She couldn't help it: she started giggling, a sense of calm and relief starting to come back to her. She hadn't expected such a request at all, and the absurdity of it, combined with the situation...well, it was definitely helping her feel at ease again.

Tsumugi also began giggling, wiping a stray tear from her eye. "Shuichi, you really are adorable, aren't you?" She teased, turning to look at the two of them, clearing her throat. "S-sorry if I took things a bit too far, I tend to do that often. I-I won't lie, I'm kinda nervous, but its obvious to me now you two are both good people."

Shuichi blushed in obvious embarrassment, but he seemed to take the ribbing good-naturedly. He gave his own little chuckle, acknowledging, "I-It's fine, really. I mean...dressing up like this is a little embarrassing, but it's not the worst thing in the world. A-And thanks, Tsumugi. You and Kaede...you're both really good, too. Despite the circumstances, I'm...really glad I met you both."

"Same to you, Shuichi!" Kaede replied, grinning brightly at the duo. "I, uh, had a hard time making friends at school, aside from my sister. So meeting you two, and the others as well...it's been real fun. I mean, circumstances aside. Plus, I-I've never been surrounded by so many cute and attractive people! It's, uh, almost overwhelming at times."

"Yeah, same." Tsumugi nodded seriously. "Everyone's always made fun of my quirks and hobbies, and I also had few friends. I know I'm not the most easy person to be around, so... thank you, both of you." she gave a small hum in thought. "Isn't it interesting? We're all ultimates, and all have weird quirks. Despite us all having different hobbies and interests, most of us mesh together really easily. That makes me happy!"

"Y-Yeah, same here. I...never expected to meet anyone like you two...you're certainly two of the most interesting girls I've met in a long time," Shuichi said, a small smile on his face now.

"Aww, aren't you sweet!" Kaede proclaimed, giggling some more. "Well, if you really want me to...I _suppose_ I could play the piano for you, Shuichi. But, ah...well, I really _am _sorry if I made you uncomfortable or anything. I just, well...I guess my hormones got the better of me...especially since it's been a few days since I-!"

Kaede abruptly cut herself off, remembering that despite his current appearance, Shuichi was a _boy_ and this was a subject she didn't want him to hear! "I-I mean, um, forget what I just said?"

"Nope, too late. We both already have it ingrained into our brains." Tsumugi said flatly, suppressing a giggle. She paused, then leaned in to whisper to her with a satisfied smirk. "Seriously Kaede, you ask him to flash you, and yet you can't even utter a few words? You must really like him. You're not fooling anyone."

"L-Like him?" Kaede stuttered out, her face flushing bright red. At the same time, Shuichi seemed to take a keen interest in the piano all of a sudden, facing away from the two of them entirely.

"Th-that's a bit much, maybe..." she tried to deny, swallowing nervously. "I-I mean...h-he is really cute, especially in that dress..."

"Soooo... you like him?" Tsumugi snickered, leaning in close to Kaede's ear and whispering quietly. "You better make up your mind and hurry up and claim him, before Toko does... or maybe I will?"

"You w-will?" Kaede stuttered out, looking over at her in surprise. She bit her lip, focusing back on Shuichi after a moment. She then urgently whispered back, "I-I...wouldn't even know what to say. Besides, we've only known each other a few d-days!"

"Just ask him out!" she finally snapped, rolling her eyes. "Or better yet..."

Tsumugi turned to Shuichi, who seemed to be finding the other side of the room more interesting. "Hey, Shuichi. Let's put that maid outfit to work, and really give Kaede something to look at!"

"Huh?!" Shuichi whirled around at that, his face a bright crimson red. "Put it to work?! What do you mean by that?!"

"Woah!" Kaede was quick to raise her hands, her own cheeks getting flushed at Tsumugi's words. "Th-that's not necessary at all! I-I-I-I mean..."

She bit her lip worryingly, before turning to face Shuichi. Before she lost her courage a second time, she finally blurted out, "W-Wait! Shuichi, um, um...would you...I-I'll be busy with the concert for a while of course, but...ah, would you want to go on a d-date during the party, maybe?"

"See? Was that so hard?" Tsumugi giggled. "Your welcome, Kaede. Hey, I don't mind third wheeling! I can be your entourage! Y'know, like..._ 'Here comes the hot new couple'_ at the party. Hm, you may wanna watch out for Toko though..."she mused, then noticing the blank looks her friends were giving her. "Uhm, sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. Please, continue!"

Shuichi chuckled slightly at that, before focusing his attention back on Kaede. A conflicted look flashed across his face, as if he were contemplating something he found distressing. "B-Before I answer that...well, I have a question. When...you get out of here...you're not going to forget me, are you? After all this is over...would you still want to be friends with me? Either of you?"

"Wh-what? Of course, Shuich!" Kaede assured, taken aback. She wasn't sure why he was acting melancholic all of a sudden, but she was gonna get him out of that kind of mood! "The three of us are, like...the three musketeers! Right? Even after we get out of here, you two are gonna stay my friends! Especially you, Shuichi. Isn't that right Tsumugi?"

"H-huh? You're including me?" Suddenly Tsumugi seemed quite shy, as she shifted her feet nervously. "I... um, yeah. I'd love that. If this was an anime, we'd defeat the mastermind with our nakama powers!" she cheered. "You better not go back on your word, though!"

Shuichi genuinely smiled at that, a peaceful look on his face. Giving another chuckle, he declared, "You two...are far kinder than I really deserve. So...yes. I'd be honored to be your date tomorrow, Kaede."

"Really?" she asked, a smile of her own breaking out across her face. "Oh, Shuichi! Thank you!"

She reached over, enveloping him in an enthusiastic hug. Shuichi stiffened at the contact, but hugged her back after a moment.

Tsumugi eyed the happy couple for a moment awkwardly, unsure of what to say. After a solid minute, she cleared her throat loudly. "You two look comfortable."

Kaede abruptly let go of Shuichi, blushing a little as Tsumugi called them out. She gave her an apologetic smile...but after a moment, the perfect idea popped into her head.

She grinned, reaching over to grab Shuichi's hand, she reached over him to grab Tsumugi's own hand, before declaring, "You know, I don't want to leave Tsumugi out. I got an idea: why don't you be both of our dates, Shuichi?"

"W-wait, what?" he questioned, clearly not expecting a request like that.

"Yeah, w-what he said!" she squeaked, looking away. "L-look, don't feel like you have to pity me. I'm happy for you guys, really!"

"Nonsense! I don't want you to feel left out! Besides, we're already close friends. I don't mind sharing Shuichi with you at all!" Kaede proclaimed, giving her a smug grin. Now Tsumugi would know what it felt like to be teased for once!

"W-well, I..." Shuichi trailed off, still looking rather shy, before closing his eyes. He took a calming breath, then opened his eyes again and looked over at her. "I'm...fine with that, if you are, Tsumugi..."

"I, um.. I do like you. Both of you, actually." Tsumugi whispered quietly, unable to make eye contact with them. "But... is this weird? I mean, y'know, the whole party thing tomorrow, won't that turn some heads?"

"Sure, it might, but I don't care! As long as I have you two at my side, that's all that matters to me!" Kaede proclaimed, before using her hands to bring them both close, into an impromptu group hug. "Besides...don't otaku fantasize about this sorta stuff? Having a cute girl and a cute boy to go on a date with? Sounds like you're living the dream, Tsumugi!"

She giggled, unable to help but tease her friend a little further. Still, this felt...nice. And maybe, if things went well tomorrow...they could do this sort of stuff more. Besides, it wasn't like she was dating...well, either of them, officially. One planned date did not a relationship make! But...it could well be the start of _something._..

"Well, I must be the luckiest guy on the island. It's not everyday I get to go on a date with two lovely ladies," Shuichi joked, looking more at ease with the idea now.

Hesitating a bit, Tsumugi noted their enthusiasm, before giving a slow nod. "Well, with you all so confident, I guess I have to also!" She smiled, pushing her glasses up on her face in confidence. "Well, consider me player number 3! Ah, I wish my old friends from the Sailor Moon Club could see me now!"

"I'm sure they'd be totally jealous, Tsumugi. I know I would be!" Kaede proclaimed, giving another giggle.

After a moment she let them both go, and walked over to the piano. She took a seat at it, opening up the keyboard. "Now, I believe I promised you a piano session Shuichi! And I intend to deliver!"

That said, she started playing, letting the sweet melody of her music fill the air.

* * *

**End Day 3**

* * *

_8:39 AM, Day 4_

_Hotel Mirai Restaurant_

_1st Island_

Another day came and went, and with it, came the day of the party! Kaede used that thought to propel herself forward, even as she tried to fight back the slight fatigue she felt. She'd stayed up far, far too late with Shuichi and Tsumugi last night...

Regardless, Kaede made her way over to the hotel itself, waving to Sonia and Tsumugi as she walked into the restaurant. It seemed the three of them were the first ones to arrive, aside from Teruteru, who saw was busy cooking in the kitchen.

"Morning guys," she greeted, claiming a chair across from them. "You two ready for the party tonight?"

"Ah, good morning Kaede!" Sonia greeted cheerfully. "Yes, I am indeed 'totes' ready, as they say!" She smiled radiantly, clapping her hands together.

Tsumugi giggled, covering her mouth with her hand before flashing Kaede a knowing smirk. "Same! Even more so that I have the honor of going with two great people!"

Kaede giggled herself, reaching over to par Tsumugi's hand. "Good to hear! I'm really looking forward to this. Today will be our last day on Jabberwock Island, so let's try to have as much fun as we can!"

A moment later, Teruteru waltzed out of the kitchen, and set three plates of food down in front of the girls. "Good morning, ladies! I hope you're all ready for a scrumptious breakfast, because I went all out on this one!"

Sonia gratefully accepted the plate, giving a dreamy sigh as she inhaled the scent of their meal. "Thank you, I'm quite happy we have one last breakfast before we leave! Teruteru, after we escape, you should come to cook for my family! I'd love to introduce them to you!"

"Um, Sonia... you could have phrased that better." Tsumugi told her with a giggle. "It almost sounds like you want to introduce him as a date!"

"Ooh, a royal chef huh? My, I like the sound of that!" Teruteru mused, stroking his as he thought over the offer. "I might just take you up on that Sonia!"

"Speaking of escaping...I gotta say, I can't wait to get back home. It'll be a relief to see my sister again," Kaede stated, giving a small sigh. "Keiko must be worried sick!"

"Oh, you have a sister?" Sonia asked her in surprise. "I'd really like to meet her! Is she a musician too?"

"I'm sure she is!" Tsumugi cut in. "I can picture her now, a younger version of Kaede, wanting to follow in her big sister's footsteps!"

"Actually, Keiko and I are twins. And she's not really musically inclined. Computers are more her thing, really," Kaede explained. "But Keiko's been real supportive of my music career. She has a lot of fun doing backstage work!"

"Oh my! A twin, you say! Hmm, now there's a thought...two for the price of one..." Teruteru enthused as he used a comb to style his hair back. "Say, is your sister single, Kaede? Because I'd really like to get to know her!"

"Oh, poor Keiko. Now she's attracted the attention of Teruteru!" Tsumugi joked.

"Well, I think your sisterly relationship is quite sweet!" Sonia cooed. "I wish I had a sister!"

"Sorry Teruteru, Keiko's already got a girlfriend. I don't think you have a shot with her," Kaede proclaimed with a laugh. "Besides—!"

The sound of a soft chime rang across the room, interrupting her. Half a second later Usami's voice echoed loud and clear through the area:

"_A body has been discovered!"_

Silence reigned for a few fleeting seconds, before Tsumugi finally found her voice, mumbling in obvious shock: "W-What?"

"I do not understand!" Sonia gasped, her eyes widening, while her voice was a mixture of confusion and grief. "That...that cannot be! Why would someone kill when we are so close?!"

"That..." Kaede felt her heart start to hammer in her chest, as her throat suddenly felt incredibly dry. "That has to be a mistake. Why would...who..."

The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside as someone ascended the outside stairs. Moments later Korekiyo burst into the room, looking paler than normal and out of breath.

"Boys cabin..." he wheezed out, taking deep breaths of air. "Rantaro and Mikan are already there..."

A few seconds of stunned silence lingered, before everyone burst into action all at once. Kaede raced out of the restaurant with everyone else, veering towards the cabins. She could see Rantaro and Mikan standing just outside a cabin at the end of the row, though she couldn't recall whose it was at that moment.

She came to a stop beside them, and wordlessly peered into the cabin...to see the beaten and bruised body of Hifumi Yamada inside. He was laid out flat on his back, his head facing towards the open door. A massive pool of blood surrounded his skull, a result of his face being caved in, while his clothing was left torn and bloody. Overall, his body showed other signs of being severely beaten, as streaks of pink coated the walls, ceiling, and floor.

"O-oh god..." Sonia paled, instantly turning away and averting her eyes.

Tsumugi choked on what Kaede could only assume was bile. "So much blood... that's so awful!"

"Holy mother of god!" Teruteru cried, staggering backwards in shock. "What...what is this? Th-this can't be real...this must be a bad prank or something..."

"H-Hifumi...Hifumi is..." Kaede paled considerably, as her stomach churned at the sight of this horrendous murder. "Wh-who would do such a thing...?"

"I was the first one to find him," Kiyo spoke up after a moment, placing a hand over his heart. "His door wasn't shut properly, and there was blood on the door knob. I suspected the worst...but even this sort of brutality...it was more than I could have anticipated..."

Kaede gave an absent nod, finally forcing herself to look away. She swallowed thickly, her mind racing to find an answer to their horrid predicament. "We...we have to get Shuichi: he's a detective, he'll know what to do. We need to get everyone else too..."

Even as she said that, one by one, most of the others started turning up, coming out of their cabins or from other areas of the island. However, before Kaede could even think to look for Shuichi in the gathering crowd, that same chime rang across the island, and Usami's voice soon followed.

"_A body has been discovered!"_

Once again, silence prevailed, before Sonia lost her composure, sniffling out a few tears. "What's happening? Am we locked in some sort of nightmare?"

"What the fuck?!" Akane shouted from somewhere in the crowd. "The fuck's going on?! Are two people dead now?!"

"That...two people? It can't be..." Kaede whimpered, clutching at herself. "But who...where...wait, wait, who isn't here? Who's missing?!"

Kaede scanned those already assembled, feeling both dread and anxiety as she counted everyone off. "...everyone in the staff, plus a few others, aren't here yet. Where...?"

As she contemplated that, she heard as the gates of the hotel were slammed open, as someone came rushing inside. Stopping at the center of the walkway, Mukuro caught her breath and glanced over at them all.

"Everybody, come to the docks. _Now_!"

"Mukuro, what happened? Who is it?" Tsumugi choked out, feeling her blood continue to chill.

"Good Lord...is this really happening? How is this all real?" Teruteru miserably asked.

Mukuro didn't waste any time explaining, and simply dashed off. After a pause, Kaede pushed past the others and ran to follow her. Soon everyone was on a headlong course to the docks. By the time they arrived, Kaede was almost out of breath. She bent over, gasping for air, while she took in the sight before her.

Miu was off to one side puking her guts out into the water, while Monaca sat in her wheelchair looking unusually solemn. Yasuhiro, for his part, was pacing around, looking pale as a ghost as he clutched at his dreadlocks. Byakuya, meanwhile, stood in front of the gangplank that led to the ferry, which itself was currently docked.

She wasted little time heading over to him, swallowing heavily as she tried peering past him. "Byakuya, what's wrong? What happened? Who is it?"

"Kaede..." he grimaced, looking off to the side. You don't want to see this...believe me."

"We kinda have to..." Akane growled as she pushed her way to the front of the growing crowd. "Just get out of the way!"

"She's right... we have to see this, for better or worse..." Tsumugi mumbled.

Byakuya closed his eyes for a moment, before giving a sigh. He stepped out of the way, and Kaede ran past him. She stepped out into the ferry...and didn't have to search long before she found him. Kaede came to an immediate dead halt, a look of horror and dread filling her face at the sight before her.

Sitting on the floor of the boat and propped up against the wall, was none other than the body of Shuichi Saihara. His eyes were glazed over and vacant, while trails of pink blood leaked from the corners of his mouth. The front side of his clothes were soaked with his blood, and a single stab wound was visible in the center of his chest. And just a few feet to the side of him, laid a solitary, bloody knife.

"N-No..." Tsumugi whimpered, feeling her knees give out as she collapsed onto the boat's deck, hot tears flowing down her face as she began sobbing.

Kaede stared at Shuichi in disbelief, tears starting to form in her eyes as Tsumugi sobbed beside her. After a moment she dropped to the floor, hugging Tsumugi close to her as she struggled not to cry herself.

Usami had been right, in the end. She hadn't needed to hand out a motive at all. Two people were already dead, and she hadn't given them any incentive. Whatever had happened, it was their own fault, not their captor's.

The Killing Game had now begun in earnest.

* * *

**19 Students Remain**

* * *

_With special thanks to CSD and JC for helping to write this chapter!_

* * *

_Review Replies:_

_Trust: Shuichi and Toko sure had some fun interactions up till now, I'll say. It's a pity that the ship never had a chance to get off the ground._

_JC: Thanks for helping out! I loved writing that scene with you. And thanks! I do my best to make sure my chapters are just the right length._

_Kobold: Kaede's a lot thirstier and more of a pervert than she's willing to admit, that's for sure._

_D-Kirb: Thanks! I loved the Mukuro/Monaca interactions, in an alternate world I can totally see Mukuro as a doting big sister. And Shuichi's luck has run out, it seems._


	13. Blood Moon Rising, 1-8 INVESTIGATION

_9:03 AM, Day 4_

_Docks_

_1st Island_

It had to be a dream. A nightmare, even: an awful visage of fiction, that Kaede would wake up soon enough. She'd wake up and discover none of this had happened, that Shuichi was fine, that everything was going to be okay…

But that wasn't the case. This was painfully real. Shuichi Saihara, one of the people she'd grown closest to since arriving on this horrid island...was dead. His corpse was right in front of her, almost taunting her with the fact of his death.

It was horribly cruel. Who would do something like this? Who would ever hurt someone as kind and sweet as Shuichi?

"_Master Shuichi!"_

Toko's cry of anguish finally brought Kaede out of her own reverie. She looked away from the body, seeing that almost everyone else had arrived now...including Toko herself.

Her body shook, despair and horror written all over her face as she stared at Shuichi's body. "Th-this can't be real...it has to be a nightmare! Shuichi...Master Shuichi…!"

Toko's eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she promptly fainted. Korekiyo managed to catch her at the last minute, however.

A moment later, Kaede felt someone reach down to pat her shoulder. When she looked up, she saw it was Byakuya that was staring down at her.

"I'm sorry, Kaede, Tsumugi. I truly am. I understand you two were...close with Shuichi," he said, a sorrowful look on his face. "But...we need to start investigating now. Usami was clear in the rules: a class trial is going to be held now, and we need to prepare for it."

"Byakuya is correct," Sonia agreed quietly, as she came up beside them. She wiped away the tears gathering at her eyes, a hardened resolve on her face as she stared ahead. "The best any of us can do now is bringing justice to his and Hifumi's killer."

Tsumugi sniffled a bit, rubbing her eyes and shakily standing up. "I-I'll be fine. Please just give me a minute..."

Kaede nodded herself, standing up as well after a moment. "You're right...we've got to do this now, for their sakes if nothing else. But where do we start?"

"_Dun da da dun! Did someone call my name?"_ came the voice of Usami, as the rabbit suddenly appeared in front of them. She glanced over at Shuichi, before doing a double-take. "_Oh no! Shuichi is dead! Whatever will we do without the most boring person on the island? The shock, the horror of it all! I'm definitely gonna miss Spew-ichi...or whatever his name was. Wait, who were we talking about again?"_

Kaede saw red and almost swung at Usami then and there. However, Byakuya grabbed her at the last minute, managing to hold her back.

"It's not worth it, Kaede! She's just trying to provoke you!" Byakuya proclaimed, dragging her back a little. "Don't give that cretin what it wants!"

Kaede glared hatefully at Usami, before deflating a little, nodding stiffly at his words. The robotic rabbit, meanwhile, chuckled some more.

"_Okay, enough pushing ya around! I DO have some important stuff to hand out! If everyone can get their pads out...you'll see the Usami File! Hooray!"_ she cheered, flailing her arms around excitedly. "_So every time you cucks murder each other, I'm gonna make things a little fair and give y'all a file on the body! Or bodies, in this case. The file won't tell you everything you need to know, though! And keep in mind...you only have a limited time here before I end the investigation, and start the class trial! So good luck, ya cunts!"_

With that tidbit of information given, Usami scampered off, leaving them alone.

After standing in silence for a few moments, Tsumugi numbly pulled out her pad with shaky hands, flicking it open to pull up the file. "Does anyone know where we should start? I want to solve this for Shuichi's sake, but I'm a cosplayer, not a detective..."

"Indeed. It is a shame we lost the one person who could be most beneficial to us," Sonia sighed tiredly in agreement. "I do know that we should possibly start collecting alibis?"

"Yes, that's not a bad idea. In fact...I think our best option right now is to split the group up and have two teams investigate the deaths. That way we won't have to waste too much time traveling back and forth between the crime scenes," Byakuya suggested, pushing his glasses up with a finger as he glanced over at everyone.

"Mukuro, Korekiyo, and I can go ahead and take alibis down at the hotel. Akane and Rantaro can investigate Hifumi's body and his cabin. Kaede, Tsumugi, and Sonia...the three of you can stay behind to investigate...Shuichi. Mikan can stay here at the boat first, to conduct Shuichi's autopsy, and then go over to the hotel to do Hifumi. I think that is our best course of action here. Finally, Mondo can stay here to guard Shuichi's body, and Nagito can keep watch over Hifumi. That way, we don't risk anyone tampering with the crime scenes after the fact!" he declared.

Kaede thought that over, before giving a firm nod as she glanced back at Shuichi's body. She wiped away the tears that had gathered at her eyes and adopted a fierce, determined expression. "That sounds fine to me, Byakuya. I guess we all out our jobs to do, huh? Let's do this, people!"

No one really objected to that, and everyone started to disperse, either going to their assigned crime scene or following Byakuya and Mukuro back to the hotel to gather alibis. In the meantime, Kaede finally brought out her own pad and clicked on the Usami icon on the screen, which brought her to the Usami File.

_Usami File #1_

_Victim 1: Hifumi Yamada_

_The time of death was around 1:20 AM_

_The Body was found in Hifumi's own cabin._

_Cause of death is excessive physical trauma to the head caused by an unknown object. Hifumi's body also shows signs of general physical injuries and violence._

_Victim 2: Shuichi Saihara_

_The time of death was around 2:11 AM_

_The body was found on the ferry._

_Cause of death is severe blood loss brought on by a knife wound. Shuichi's body also shows general signs of being involved in a struggle, but otherwise has no other injuries._

Kaede remained silent for a long moment, digesting the information in the file. It sure raised a lot of questions to her...but they didn't have easy answers, far as she could see.

"Something I am wondering, is the killer even the same person for both Shuichi and Hifumi? What happens if we have two blackened?" Sonia suddenly asked, tapping her chin in thought.

"That's a good point... we may have two accomplices working together and we don't even know it!" Tsumugi growled.

"That's...a real concerning issue," Kaede acknowledged, giving a slight frown. "And...we don't even know _why_ they're dead. I mean...what good reason would anyone have for hurting Hifumi or Shuichi?"

It was a very good question, but she wasn't gonna find any answers just standing there. She glanced over at Shuichi's body, noticing that Mikan was crouched beside it now as she examined him. Mondo stood off to the side as well, hands in his jacket pockets as he leaned against the railing. All the while he stared at Shuichi with a troubled look.

Kaede decided to leave them be for the moment, and instead walked over to join Sonia near the presumed murder weapon: the bloody knife on the floor.

Kaede fretted for a moment, worrying about contaminating the evidence...before she realized it didn't really matter. It wasn't like they were cops, and they didn't have any people or technology here to look at DNA evidence or anything. They'd have to use old-fashioned detective work to get to the bottom of this.

That in mind, she bent down and carefully picked up the knife, examining it. She felt her stomach roil at the sight of the pink blood that stained the blade, but she managed to keep her breakfast down all the same. "I'm not an expert in this, but...this definitely seems like the murder weapon. Though I don't recognize the knife itself...maybe it came from the kitchen?"

"That knife... it is actually Mukuro's..." Sonia gasped, raising a hand to her mouth. "I've seen her carrying it several times!" _TRUTH BULLET_

"Mukuro, huh? Time to go cut a bitch!" Tsumugi growled out. "Ultimate Soldier or no, Hifumi was my otaku friend, and Shuichi... was..." she rasped out, unable to finish.

Kaede grimaced, handing the knife over to Sonia for safekeeping as she tried to collect her thoughts. "Let's not just to conclusions now. It...doesn't look good for Mukuro, but for all we know, someone could have stolen this from her. Either way, it's something we can ask her in the trial itself."

That said, she turned her attention back to Shuichi and sighed. She walked over to Mikan after a moment, trying not to stare too much at his body. "Did you find much of anything, Mikan?"

Mikan glanced up at her, still crouched beside Shuichi. "I-I'm not finished yet, b-but...I don't think there's m-much to find outside what the, um, r-report itself says. Shuichi was definitely stabbed by a knife, and it seems he bled to death. I-I'm guessing his attacker either yanked the knife out, o-or Shuichi himself did...either way, it accelerated the rate of his bleeding, which l-led him to...well, him bleeding out at a more rapid rate. He probably didn't last much longer th-than five minutes after the knife was taken out." _TRUTH BULLET_

"To me at least, there seems to be a stark difference between Hifumi and Shuichi's deaths." Sonia mused thoughtfully. "Hifumi seemed to be attacked out of anger, while Shuichi seems more... subdued? I could be wrong."

"Not to mention...what was Shuichi doing out here in the first place?" Kaede questioned, furrowing her brow in thought. "I mean...Hifumi seems straightforward. He was attacked in his cabin. But what about Shuichi? Was he out here meeting someone? Did someone lure him to the boat?" _TRUTH BULLET_

Kaede closed her eyes in thought, but a gasp from Mikan quickly drew her attention. She saw her reach behind Shuichi, and pull out his pad, of all things. It seemed Shuichi had stuck it behind his back...and had used it right before his death if the blood on it was any indication.

Mikan handed the device to her after a moment, and Kaede activated it, even as her hands trembled. To her relief, it worked just fine. And a quick search of his apps revealed...a video, of all things. Two, in fact!

"What is this?" Kaede wondered, even as she tapped on the videos to play them. To her confusion, however, a window popped up. "...And it says it needs a password here. Is this...some sort of message from Shuichi? But, what's the password? Why did he even password protect it in the first place?" _TRUTH BULLET_

"It was probably something important... maybe he saw the person who killed Hifumi and videoed it? It may be a stretch but why else would he go to such lengths to protect this?" Tsumugi said excitedly. "He is... um, was... a detective after all!"

"That could be it..." Kaede said, staring down at the pad in deep thought. "Well...whatever the videos are, we can't watch them without a password. Oh! Maybe we can have Chihiro take a look at this later? He...er, she's a programmer, right? Maybe Chihiro can take a crack at this if we can't figure out the password."

It was as good of an idea as any, at any rate. Though Kaede wasn't sure what the password could be. It had to be something important to Shuichi, right? Or maybe something that he knew she might be able to guess? It was hard to say...

"I don't know about that. About Shuichi recordin' Hifumi. I mean, the murders...according to the file, they're almost an hour apart. If Shuichi had seen whoever'd done in Hifumi...wouldn't he have woken us all up or something? I mean, shit...Hifumi died in his own damn cabin. If someone had seen something, it woulda been easy to get us all up," Mondo couldn't help but point out after a moment, giving his own two cents. _TRUTH BULLET_

And that was _also_ a good point…

Well, they could sort this out in the actual class trial. For now...

"In the meantime..." Kaede glanced back down at Mikan. "I think you should finish this up, Mikan, and go over to the others at the hotel. I have a feeling you'll be much more needed with...Hifumi than with, um, Shuichi. Meanwhile...I think we should go ahead and investigate the central island. It's possible that Shuichi was meeting someone there, and if there's any clues to be found there, then we need to get this boat moving."

"An excellent idea. I'll be more than happy to pilot this boat after all, Novoselic children are all trained to pilot boats and aircraft by the time they turn 10!" Sonia exclaimed, giving everyone a wide smile. "We'll be there very quickly!"

"Um, Sonia, I think the boat here is much different than the military ones you are used to..." Tsumugi started to say, however, her words fell on deaf ears as the princess began preparing to get them moving. "Ok then..."

"I-I'll be going, then. I guess I'll, um, see you all when it comes time for the trial," Mikan stated as she stood back up. She gave them a brief bow, before hurriedly exiting the boat.

Kaede watched her leave before she felt her gaze inevitably return back to Shuichi. She blinked rapidly at the sight of his corpse, feeling tears gathering at her eyes once again. She held them back, however. After a moment she reached over, and gently took his hat off, before placing it on her own head. "Don't worry, Shuichi. We'll figure things out, I'm sure of it. No matter what...we'll find out who did this to you, and make sure that they face justice."

* * *

_9:19 AM, Day 4_

_Hifumi's Cabin_

_1st Island_

Despite being a nurse, Mikan had never seen anything as severe as this. She had seen injuries of varying degrees before. But this was a whole new level for her. Hifumi's body had been found in his cabin. The Usami file had listed a wide manner of injuries, all consistent with a severe beating. The young woman had all but confirmed each one. Whoever had done this must have been a lot stronger than the 2D enthusiast, given the amount of facial wounds and other injuries.

She tugged on her rubber glove as she continued her examination, trying to keep her emotions in check. Hifumi had been a friend, she had never wanted something this horrible to happen to him. He'd been...an odd person, sure, but always kind and caring. Seeing him like this... it made her sad. It made her feel weak and scared. If something of this magnitude had happened to Hifumi, what was stopping someone from doing it to her? Or Rantaro? Not to mention...was something like this...truly inevitable? Could it have even been stopped?

She pushed those thoughts to the back burner, focusing on her job. She needed to deliver an accurate autopsy if she and everyone else wanted to find the one responsible for this.

"Extensive physical injuries to the face and chest, mostly to the face. It doesn't look like a blunt weapon was used. That means someone must have literally beat him to death with their bare hands. That's so horrible," she mumbled looking away, not wanting to see the young man's face. It had been caved in. So much so that none of his facial features were recognizable. "If they really did do this barehanded, then they must have sustained injuries as well, I'll have to be on the lookout for that."

"So, Hifumi was literally beaten to death, huh? Quite the savage way to go," Rantaro noted, from where he stood in the room.

"Indeed! It makes me wonder who could have held such anger and hatred toward Hifumi, to kill him in such a manner," Nagito agreed, staring down at the corpse in evident fascination. "After all, for someone to go this far...it had to be a crime of passion, no?" _TRUTH BULLET_

"I don't see how it can be anything other than that," Akane stated, crossing her arms as she looked around the room. "Jeez, look at all this blood. Whoever killed Hifumi must have gotten a mess on themselves, there's no way you coulda prevented that." _TRUTH BULLET_

"Indeed. That would also explain the bloody handprint on the doorknob, and the drops of blood outside. It must have been Hifumi's blood on the killer. They likely left it around in their haste to clean themselves up afterward," Rantaro added. _TRUTH BULLET_

"Um... I managed to find something else," she said, grabbing their attention. She held out a piece of cloth, which to them looked rather insignificant. "This was clasped in his hand. He had it closed rather tightly, it took me a few minutes to pry it out. I'm not exactly sure what it could be, but I bet it belongs to the killer. Perhaps it's a piece of their shirt or something else they were wearing." she continued earning a few curious looks from them. _TRUTH BULLET_

"I see, I see," Rantaro observed, giving her a small smile. "Good job Mikan! I'm not sure it narrows things down just yet though. Hard to tell what that could be from. If the killer was smart, they likely either hid their bloody clothes or tried to dispose of them in some way."

"But...they would have had to clean themselves up, yeah? It's not like we've seen anybody running around covered in blood. And the best way to do that woulda been to hit the showers in the hotel," Akane pointed out, stroking her chin in thought. _TRUTH BULLET_

"It's likely that we won't be able to find those clothes. However, there is something else I noticed about Hifumi. He has defensive wounds as well as the ones he got from his attacker," Mikan said, glancing back at the deceased young man. "If my theory is right, then along with the injuries on their hands, we should find the marks left by Hifumi on his killer. He was fighting tooth and nail before he was taken down, so it's safe to assume they're big wounds." _TRUTH BULLET_

"We'll have to keep an eye out for that, then," Rantaro noted. "Though I wonder how this all connects with Shuichi's death. He was merely stabbed once, from what I could tell. It's still tragic, but a far more...well, 'peaceful' death, as compared to Hifumi. Is it possible these two murders aren't connected at all?" _TRUTH BULLET_

"My, that's upsetting. Having one murderer walking among us is bad enough, but two?" Nagito gave a little shudder, as he grimaced at the thought of that possibility.

"Two murderers is a very real possibility. However, there is one last theory I have in mind... what if Hifumi saw Shuichi's killer? Perhaps he was out and about and witnessed this. The killer had to make sure no one remained alive, and chased Hifumi here," Mikan said, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Maybe that's why he was beaten the way he was... the killer probably tried to differentiate the crime, making it seem like there are two killers. Or... maybe I'm thinking way too hard about this."

"It's a legitimate possibility. We won't know for sure until we can compare notes with the others, however," Rantaro stated, giving a little sigh. "Though, whoever killed Hifumi...I think we can perhaps rule out any of the women. The only ones who could have beaten him like this are Mukuro and Akane...and Akane was with me last night. As for Mukuro, well, I don't think she'd do something like this. Besides, she _is_ a member of the staff and not a regular participant." _TRUTH BULLET_

"Not to mention all the blood we've found only seems to be in the boys section of the cabins, and the walkway toward the hotel itself. Nothing on the girls side. Think that suggests our killer has to be a guy," Akane chimed in. _TRUTH BULLET_

"Anything is possible. We were so close to leaving this island... what could have led to something so horrible happening? Who could have the gall to... kill like this?" Mikan asked, sighing. "We should survey the area some more. There could be something we missed in our initial search. I'll see if I can find anything else around here."

"That's not a bad idea. Akane and I will join you if you want," Rantaro offered.

"Good luck! I'll stay here and watch over the body, make sure no one tampers with the crime scene," Nagito added, giving a small smile. "Things sure do look grim...but, I'm confident we can discover the truth! After all, there's no way symbols of Hopes can be defeated!"

"R-right! We'll be able to lay this case to rest... I'll make sure to gather everything I can here. I need to build my autopsy file as well. I truly do hope it'll help us all out during this trial. I'm scared about what's going to happen, especially if the killer manages to getaway. Let's pray things go well in our favor." Mikan said, forcing a smile onto her face. Even though she was sad, she had to put a smile on her face. It was one of the first things she learned about being a nurse, to smile in the face of despair, to keep everyone calm. Even if the others didn't buy her smile, she could at least use it to keep herself calm and stable.

* * *

_9:23 AM, Day 4_

_Hotel Mirai_

_1st Island_

While the others were busy investigating the bodies and actual crime scenes, Mukuro had to deal with gathering the alibis. It wasn't work she begrudged, of course: it wasn't like she was an investigator or anything. Besides guarding the bodies, this was probably the best job for her.

"All right...now that we're all here, we may as well start with alibis," Byakuya declared after he had gathered everyone else together. "Kiyo, you were the first to discover Hifumi. We can start with you."

"Well, I'm afraid my alibi is rather weak." Korekiyo admitted. "I retired to my cabin quite early in the evening and went to sleep. Upon waking up and leaving my cabin, I noticed a bloody handprint on Hifumi's door, and well... I believe you know the rest." _TRUTH BULLET_

"Mmm, I'm more or less the same, besides discovering Hifumi. I was asleep all night and never left my cabin." Sayaka stated with a sigh, resting her head against her hand.

"Ibuki was in her room all night too!" she piped in.

Chihiro blinked, fiddling with the hem of her dress. "It seems most of us all have similar alibis. This may be a waste of time."

"Well, not _all_ of us..." Teruteru hesitantly declared, looking rather nervous and fearful. When everyone else started looking at him, he raised his hands defensively. "Hey now! I'm not saying I had anything to do with this! I was just staying up late, preparing for breakfast. I thought I heard some noises outside...then a little while later, I thought maybe someone was down in the lobby or something. But, I didn't think anything of it at the time!" _TRUTH BULLET_

"Monaca can also vouch for Big Sis Mukuro and herself! Monaca stayed up late with Big Sis Mukky, since she was drunk! She was acting really funny too, in fact, Monaca recorded most of it, if anyone wants to see!" Monaca chimed in, giving a small giggle. _TRUTH BULLET_

"Y-Yes, right. I...don't remember a lot of yesterday, but I can testify to the fact I got drunk, and stayed up late with Monaca before going to bed together," Mukuro confirmed, blushing slightly.

"My, it seems we only have one outlier so far." Kiyo chuckled darkly, glancing at Teruteru with intrigue. "Is there anyone to vouch for your whereabouts this morning?"

"Uh, not really? I went to bed around two-thirty in the morning," Teruteru replied, wiping away a sheen of nervous sweat from his brow. "Wh-why are y'all lookin' at me like that?! I told ya, I didn't do it!"

"For what it's worth, I highly doubt Teruteru is our man," Mukuro spoke up, crossing her arms as she shrugged. "I mean, he doesn't exactly strike me as a killer. Plus, he's only incriminating himself by volunteering this information. Not something the murderer here would want to do."

"Right! We shouldn't be suspecting each other like this!" Chihiro stuttered out unhappily. "I don't want to suspect my friends!"

"Let's all take a deep breath and calm down. I know tensions are high right now." Sayaka said, clutching her bow and standing up. "But we can't reach the truth unless we have clear heads!"

"Ibuki agrees! Especially because Ibuki's head is always clear!" Ibuki butted in.

"But it's an irrefutable fact that _someone_ among us killed Hifumi and Shuichi. There's no one else but us on this island, and Usami said she wasn't gonna interfere in the game," Mukuro pointed out, rolling her eyes slightly. "Like it or not, we'll have to suspect someone eventually. It's not like Hifumi and Shuichi killed themselves."

Byakuya cleared his throat, speaking up to prevent any more arguing. "Regardless, it doesn't seem like we'll be getting anywhere else in investigating alibis. Right now, at least. Teruteru, Kiyo, why don't you go check out the hotel, to be safe? Perhaps we can find some sort of evidence someone was sneaking around last night."

Korekiyo nodded at that, and soon departed with Teru. After that, Byakuya glanced around the cabins, focusing in on Shuichi's cabin in particular. "In the meantime, perhaps...hm?"

"What is it? Something wrong?" Mukuro asked, glancing around in concern.

"Shuichi's mailbox is slightly ajar. Could it be...?" Byakuya murmured, before marching on over to the cabin.

He opened up the mailbox, and to his surprise, found a letter inside. He unfolded it, quickly scanning the contents. "A message from...Shuichi?" _TRUTH BULLET_

"Ohhh, what does it say? Read it, read it!" Ibuki cheered, attempting to grab it for herself before Byakuya swatted her away.

"Ibuki, calm down. Let him read it!" Chihiro frowned. "We may not have much time left."

"It says—!" Byakuya began, before the sudden, abrupt noise of an air horn drowned him out, and caused just about everyone to cover their ears in pain.

"_Hold your horses there Fatkuya! I ain't about to allow any gosh-darned spoilers here!" _Usami declared as she waddled into view, an air horn gripped in one paw. "_You just keep that to yourself for now! No talking about that letter til I say so! I wouldn't want to ruin the dramatic suspense!"_

"Isn't that breaking the rules?" Sayaka huffed, her face flushed with anger. "You said as long as it was relevant to the case, we could use whatever means needed! This is a vital clue!"

"I-I agree." Chihiro nodded meekly, unable to look Usami in the eyes. "It sounds like you're just holding us back from solving the case."

"_Eh, rules schmules. Besides, Byakuya here is a member of the Staff! So what I say goes! If ya got any complaints, bring it up with the Mastermind!" _Usami sneered.

"Well, I doubt there's any way we can convince her otherwise. It will just have to wait," Byakuya sighed, before folding the letter up, and putting it in his pocket.

"Awww, ok..." Ibuki deflated dramatically, letting out a large sigh. "Sooo, Ibuki wants to know what we're doing next!"

"Is there anywhere else we can look? No place is too small as long as its relevant." Sayaka pointed out.

"At this point, I suppose it couldn't hurt to investigate the other areas of the island, see if there are any other clues we might be missing. It's certainly better than nothing," Mukuro suggested.

"Indeed. I think that's our best option now. Well then! Let's get started!" Byakuya agreed, vigorously nodding his head.

* * *

_9:51 AM, Day 4_

_Administrative Building_

_Central Island_

After leaving Mondo to guard Shuichi's body, Kaede, Tsumugi, and Sonia made their way to the central Island to search for clues. Kaede herself wasn't sure if there was much to find there, but it wouldn't hurt to find out.

Searching the island itself didn't take long at all, and they found nothing. By the end of their search, there was only one place left they hadn't looked at yet:

The Administrative building: the place Usami had seemingly claimed as her headquarters.

"Are we even allowed to search in there?" Sonia couldn't help but question, as she gazed over at the building.

"Well, if its relevant to the investigation, I don't see why not!" Tsumugi pressed firmly. "We have to solve this case somehow."

"Tsumugi's right. Worst comes to worst, Usami chases us out of there. Besides, if Shuichi was investigating on his own...well, it only makes sense that he'd check this place out," Kaede reasoned. She sighed after a moment, squaring her shoulders before striding into the building.

It hadn't changed at all from all appearances. It was as ruined and destroyed as it'd ever been...though that was curious enough by itself. Why hadn't Usami cleaned this place up at some point? And what had caused all this damage?

"What a mess." Tsumugi sighed, picking through a bit of debris. "I doubt Shuichi would be able to find much in this mess."

"No, we must assume everything is important!" Sonia chided sternly. "Kaede, did Shuichi ever mention anything about investigating this place to you?"

"Not that I can recall..." Kaede replied, frowning in thought. "Though he was with Akane and Toko when they explored the basement and found Monaca. Maybe he came back here to look through the basement? From what I remember, it's not as destroyed down there. Just cluttered and dark."

"Well? Then what are we waiting for?!" Tsumugi bounced up and down eagerly. "Sounds like where that's all the good stuff is!"

Sonia rested a hand on her shoulder with a small smile. "Patience is a virtue. Besides, there's no promise we'll find anything. Kaede, we'll follow your lead."

Kaede nodded, and after a moment led the way down into the basement, pulling out her pad to light the way down. Sure enough, the place still seemed cluttered with filing cabinets and boxes and other odds and ends. It was just as messy as the main floor really, if in a different way.

"If Shuichi did come back here...well, he would have had a lot of time to meticulously go through all this stuff. We don't have the luxury of time though," Kaede noted, giving a frustrated sigh.

"Then we need to start with anything that seems important." Sonia agreed, beginning to shuffle through a few of the filing cabinets. "We need to divide and conquer."

"Aye aye captain!" Tsumugi said with a mock salute, eyeing a large looking box as she began to open it.

Kaede picked a cabinet for herself, and started rummaging through it. She picked up a file inside at random and flipped it open. "Let's see...something about cyber terrorism in Tokyo? Doesn't really sound relevant to what's going on. You guys have any luck?"

"Hm, I... oh!" Sonia gasped, pulling out a file, which had her name on it. "Is this... about me?" _TRUTH BULLET_

Tsumugi came over and examined another filing cabinet, pulling out a file on Hiro. "It seems there are files on many of us... though a few seem to be missing, in fact I can't find mine..."

"Really?" Kaede put down her own file, and walked over to them. She glanced into the filing cabinet herself, staring in surprise as she saw the different files inside. She picked one at random, and discovered it to be Nagito's. She opened it up, and couldn't help but glance at it.

"It says here...that Nagito lost his parents at a young age. A meteor struck the plane he was in, and only killed his parents? Jeez, that's so horrible..." Kaede murmured, closing the file after a moment. "But...where's this all from? Is this something Usami gathered on us all? Maybe...if Shuichi investigated this place, he found it too? It could explain the missing files..."

"Or maybe someone else got to it first." Sonia said softly, pointing to a set of ashen remains near the cabinet. Picking through it, the blonde princess frowned. "Um, based on the part here that's not burnt, it seems to be a police report of some kind..." _TRUTH BULLET_

"Really?" Kaede questioned, glancing at the burnt report. "Well, hold on to that for now. We might need it later. Maybe—!"

Kaede was cut off, as a chime suddenly echoed through the area, followed by Usami's voice.

"_All right, ya shmucks! Investigation time is over! Time for the first class trial! Everyone, report to the central island administrative building on the double! Anyone who's not here in half an hour is getting severely punished! Fufufu!"_

"Oh. Well how convenient." Tsumugi deadpanned, shaking her head. "Maybe we can spend a minute looking a few things over while everyone arrives? We need to solve this case no matter what."

"It's not a bad idea. I mean, we're already here, so why not?" Kaede agreed, nodding her head. "We're close to the truth, I can feel it...we just gotta make sense of everything here."

* * *

_10:21 AM, Day 4_

_Administrative Building_

_Central Island_

Despite their continued searching, Kaede and the others didn't find much else of note in the basement. They all returned upstairs after a while, waiting for everyone else to arrive. One by one they all started trickling in...with Toko proving to be the last.

Kaede had to do a double-take when she first saw Toko. Her tongue was sticking out of her mouth, far longer than should have been humanly possible, and she had a crazed look in her eyes.

"Sooo, what's this about a double-murder I hear? Seems someone's been real busy around here! Kyahahhaha!" Toko proclaimed, clutching her stomach as she shrieked with laughter.

Before Kaede could even begin to process that statement, Usami sprouted up amongst them, megaphone in hand.

"_HEY THERE LOSERS! IT'S TIME FOR THE CLASS TRIAL!" _she yelled at them through the megaphone. Once again everyone covered their ears in pain, while Usami let out an amused cackle.

"_All right ya cucks! Let's get the show on the road! Everyone, follow me!" _she declared.

Usami led them down a series of halls, before pressing her paw against what seemed like a dead end. Before their eyes, the section of the wall she touched slowly opened up, revealing the doors of an elevator to them all.

The elevator doors opened up, and at Usami's direction they all walked in. The elevator closed once everyone was inside, and started heading down.

Down, down, down...down towards an unknown destination. Down to the room where they would hopefully figure out the truth behind these murders, and bring Shuichi and Hifumi's killer to justice. Down to the dark depths of the earth below, where an assortment of questions awaited them…

Who killed Shuichi and Hifumi?

Why had they been targeted in the first place?

And perhaps most importantly...what was the purpose of this game? Who was this supposed Mastermind keeping them captive?

All these questions, and more, would be brought up in the upcoming class trial. And for Shuichi and Hifumi's sake, Kaede hoped they could answer them.

* * *

_**TRUTH BULLETS**_

**Mukuro's Knife Used to Kill Shuichi**

**Shuichi Bled to Death Rapidly**

**Why was Shuichi on the Ferry?**

**Password Protected Videos**

**Time Discrepancy between Murders**

**Crime of Passion?**

**Bloody Mess**

**Killer Left Blood Trail**

**Torn Cloth**

**Defensive Wounds**

**Clean-up Required**

**Murders Not Connected?**

**Rantaro and Akane's Alibi**

**Blood on Boys' Side Only**

**Korekiyo's Alibi**

**Teruteru Up Late**

**Mukuro and Monaca's Alibi**

**Shuichi's Mysterious Letter**

**Files on Everyone**

**Missing Files**

* * *

_19 Students Remain_

* * *

_With Special Thanks to JC and Cel for helping me write this chapter!_

* * *

_Review Replies:_

_Guest: Sorry, I can't make promises like that. _

_Sliv: Just once, someone really out to take out the smart people first so that they can run circles around the Yasuhiros of the group._

_JC: Glad you liked this! And thanks for your help buddy!_

_HoneyBee: Indeed! It's always nice to use fanfic to explore and flesh out the characters who didn't get a chance to shine in Canon. _

_Trust: It's unfortunate, but Shuichi was slated to die since the beginning. As for Tsumugi/Kaede persisting...we shall see!_

_CSD: Glad you liked it! Shuichi was fun to write and flesh out, for sure. It helped make his death all the more tragic, I feel._

_D-Kirb: Death flags were flying all over the place! It was real fun leaving all those hints and clues. _

_Kobold: Thanks! I'm glad you like how things are going so far! _


	14. Blood Moon Rising, 1-9 TRIAL I

_Usami File #1_

_Victim 1: Hifumi Yamada_

_The time of death was around 1:20 AM_

_The Body was found in Hifumi's own cabin._

_Cause of death is excessive physical trauma to the head caused by an unknown object. Hifumi's body also shows signs of general physical injuries and violence._

_Victim 2: Shuichi Saihara_

_The time of death was around 2:11 AM_

_The body was found on the ferry._

_Cause of death is severe blood loss brought on by a knife wound. Shuichi's body also shows general signs of being involved in a struggle, but otherwise has no other injuries._

* * *

_**TRUTH BULLETS**_

**Mukuro's Knife Used to Kill Shuichi**

**Shuichi Bled to Death Rapidly**

**Why was Shuichi on the Ferry?**

**Password Protected Videos**

**Time Discrepancy between Murders**

**Crime of Passion?**

**Bloody Mess**

**Killer Left Blood Trail**

**Torn Cloth**

**Defensive Wounds**

**Clean-up Required**

**Murders Not Connected?**

**Rantaro and Akane's Alibi**

**Blood on Boys' Side Only**

**Korekiyo's Alibi**

**Teruteru Up Late**

**Mukuro and Monaca's Alibi**

**Shuichi's Mysterious Letter**

**Files on Everyone**

**Missing Files**

* * *

_10:30 AM, Day 4_

_Trial Room_

_Central Island_

After several minutes of traveling underground, the elevator finally came to a stop. The doors opened up, to reveal what almost looked like a throne room of sorts. At the very end of the room was a raised dais with an ornate chair at the top, that Usami was already resting on top of. Meanwhile four podium stands were placed a couple of steps underneath the throne itself. And in the center of the room was a circular array of podiums, each one holding a placard that had their names on it.

Well, all except for two. In place of any placards, two graffitied portraits were placed. One was of a beaten and bruised looking Hifumi, while the other was of Shuichi with a red X crossed over his face.

At Usami's directing, everyone went to their assigned stands, and Kaede found standing between Tsumugi and Sonia, while Chihiro was directly across from her. Byakuya, Miu, Yasuhiro, and Mukuro, meanwhile, were directed to the four podiums beneath Usami's throne.

There was something else that was strange, though it took Kaede a moment to realize it. When she glanced around the circle, she found one podium that didn't have anyone in front of it. Before she could think to comment on that, however, Usami spoke up.

"_Welcome, everybody, to the first trial of the Second Annual Killing Game! Yay!"_ Usami declared, flailing her arms about excitedly. "_The time for thrills, chills, and kills has come once again! Now, ya cucks know most of the rules of the Class Trial...or ya should! They were in the rules after all. But anyway..." _

_"The purpose of this Class Trial is to determine who killed Shuichi Saihara and Hifumi Yamada! You all have a limited time to debate this, so don't think you have all day to figure this out! In fact...the Staff here will serve as your time limit! Each time I feel like you're taking too long, I start the timer on one of their collar bombs. If you can't make a major breakthrough within a few minutes, then KABOOM! Pop goes the weasel! Or head, in this case. If you use up all four of the Staff, then game over man! That's it, do not pass go and collect two hundred dollars, y'all are finished! That's an automatic end to the Trial, and the Blackened wins by default."_

"Wait, _what_?" Mukuro hissed, her eyes bulging in surprise. "_What_ did you just say?!"

_"Ya heard me right the first time, ya freckled bimbo!" _Usami derisively replied. "_So, think of the Staff here as your lifelines. Ya got four extra lives to figure out this trial, or any future trial for that matter. Use 'em all up, and you lose! And for that matter, if you use end up using one Life here, it won't be replenished in the next trial. If Miu the Slutty Cow here loses her head, then she ain't gonna be replaced!"_

"_Now! Once y'all are ready to call for a vote, let me know! We're working with Majority Rules here, so we don't need a perfect consensus to reach a verdict. If y'all guess the Blackened right, then you win and they lose! But if you guess wrong...then you all die, and they get to leave this island for good! Any questions?"_

"I have one," Sonia spoke up cordially, eyeing Usami with contempt. "What happens in the case of us having two Blackeneds? We did have two victims, after all, it is not too big a stretch to assume that this is the case here."

Usami tilted her head, staring over at Sonia as she touched a paw to her mouth. _"Me oh my, what an astute question from the Ubermensch Princess! Well, in the case we do have two killers...I ain't executing them both! I find it far, far more interesting to see who you _choose _to have executed. If there are two killers, then at the final vote, whoever has the most votes against them dies, and the other one gets to live on. That sound simple enough to ya?"_

"_And before I forget,"_ Usami added, _"As a reminder, the Staff is not allowed to participate in the debate. They can only speak when called upon or questioned. So if I see any of you ungrateful idiots speak up without my say so...well, you can kiss your sorry ass goodbye!"_

"I see. Sounds like you're just bending the rules in your favor!" Tsumugi hissed in annoyance, shaking her head. "I'm going to make sure Shuichi's killer pays with their life. You can count on that."

"My, what happened to the bubbly cosplayer we met on the first day?" Korekiyo chuckled, looking at her with interest. "It is quite astounding how people's attitudes change following the tragic death of a loved one."

"L-lets calm down everyone..." Chihiro spoke up, flinching as all eyes fell on him. "W-we need to figure out where to start."

"Indeed. And I think our most pressing question is something Sonia raised," Rantaro stated, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "How do we know just one person killed Shuichi and Hifumi? I'm starting to think it's more and more likely that we have two killers on our hands here."

"W-Wait, really?" Kaede asked, glancing over at him in surprise. "I mean...I considered the possibility, but...can we really be sure?"

"I suppose that's the thing... we can't be sure until we get all the facts down." Sayaka pointed out, raising a finger to her chin in thought. "I'm afraid we're only wasting time here debating this when we're not sure."

"Ibuki agrees, and thinks we should start with Hifumi's death since he died first! The rest will follow!" Ibuki cheered, trying to lighten the mood with her enthusiasm.

"Yeah, regardless of whether or not we have one killer or two...it'll probably be easier if we tackle this one death at a time. If we treat each murder separately, we'll have a better chance of figuring them both out. If they end up connecting, then we'll deal with that then," Akane agreed with a decisive nod.

"Okay then..." Kaede took in a deep breath, before glancing over at Rantaro. "We were over at the boat, so we aren't going to be of much help with Hifumi. What did you guys find out?"

"Well, we found several things. One important one is that there was a blood trail, and it was only on the boys side of the cabins." Rantaro mused, eyeing several of the males in the room. "Also, with how much Hifumi was beaten, this was almost certainly personal if you ask me. Not to mention whoever killed him must have bruised up their hands pretty good...since Mikan concluded Hifumi was beat to death with someone's bare hands. A real savage way to kill someone, if you ask me."

"I-I agree with that." Mikan piped in, looking at the ground as she spoke quietly. "Hifumi h-had many defensive wounds, making me almost certain he fought back. It was a back and forth struggle."

"And with how severely he was beaten, it _had_ to be someone strong. I mean, no offense to Rantaro or Nagito, but only someone with some actual muscle in their body could have done this," Akane added.

Kaede furrowed her brow in thought, considering the evidence before them. "Someone who was strong...probably a guy...and they had a grudge against Hifumi. I don't know about the last part, but for the first two..."

Korekiyo came to mind...he was really tall, and definitely looked like he could hurt someone if he wanted to. But, he'd been the first to find Hifumi's body. If he was the killer, there was no way he'd make a target of himself like that. So if not Kiyo, then maybe—

"It was Byakuya! He did it!" Nagito suddenly proclaimed, his eyes widening in realization. "He certainly looks strong enough...not to mention he's the Ultimate Butler. If anyone could clean themselves up after a murder, and leave next to no trace, it would definitely be him. He must have done it!"

"...I beg your pardon?" Byakuya replied, his eyes narrowing in apparent anger.

"No, that's wrong!." Sonia declarer, shooting a disapproving look at the lucky student. "While there is no rule against a staff member attacking another student, we must remember that Hifumi fought back, which is against the rules to attack a staff member. I do doubt it was him."

"But...would Hifumi even have thought of that, if someone was trying to kill him?" Nagito refuted as he shook his head. "I hate suspecting one of our friends, of course, but…in the heat of the moment, Hifumi might not have given any thought to breaking the rules if Byakuya attacked him. He'd just be defending himself."

"It's a fair point, I'll admit. Still, I find it unlikely. Byakuya's not wearing any gloves right now, so we can see his hands. There doesn't seem to be any evidence he got into a fight last night. Not to mention Teruteru was up late, and he thought he heard someone in the lobby. Considering the only showers here are in the locker rooms, that's the only place our killer could have cleaned up. So they wouldn't have needed to be a butler to clean up after themselves," Rantaro pointed out.

"Ah, right...sorry, looks like I misspoke," Nagito apologized, giving a small laugh. "Sorry, I just thought I'd figured everything out. Guess I just jumped to conclusions. I really shouldn't have doubted my friends like that."

"It's fine, Nagito. We understand," Kaede was quick to reply, a sincere smile on her face. "We're all eager to get to the bottom of this. So...we can rule out Byakuya. Teruteru says he was up late. Nagito and Rantaro don't have the strength to beat Hifumi like that, no offense. It can't be Shuichi. It can't have been Yasuhiro either. And Korekiyo was the first to discover Hifumi. So that leaves..."

Kaede narrowed her eyes, soon focusing on one person in particular in the circle...as did almost everyone else. After all, with all the other potential suspects eliminated...

That only left Mondo Owada.

"Mondo..." Sayaka spoke up, trying to keep her voice steady. "You've been awfully quiet. Is there anything you'd like to add?"

"Hey, just because I'm strong doesn't mean I did it!" he argued defensively, scowling at them all. "You're gonna need more definitive proof than that, ok?"

Suddenly, Mikan let out a small squeak of realization, raising a hand to her mouth.

"Hey, Mikan. Did you realize something? What's wrong?" Tsumugi asked her curiously.

Mikan looked up at Mondo, then looked away, biting a fingernail. "M-Mondo, b-back the other day when I was cleaning your hand wound up... Mukuro brought up Hifumi and his pen name, which y-you recognized. I didn't think much at the time, b-but... how did you know the pen name, and why did you seem so interested in Hifumi? Did he do something to you?" The nurse asked timidly, shutting her eyes.

Mondo grit his teeth, his eyes growing wide as he saw just how everyone was staring at him. "Okay, back the fuck up! I-I ain't got any idea what you're talking about Mikan...besides, maybe we're wrong? Wh-who says it has to be a guy? It could be a girl! I mean, just look at Mukuro and Akane! They could have killed Fatass too!"

"But Akane was with me all night last night...plus, she doesn't have any injuries on her," Rantaro replied, crossing his arms.

"And I don't have any injuries either. Besides...I was with Monaca last night, we went to bed early," Mukuro stated, glaring hard at him. "Besides that...I admit, my memory of yesterday is a little foggy, but...I remember that too. You sure seemed _real_ interested in confirming Hifumi's pen name."

"But that's besides the point, isn't it? I think there's a real simple way we can figure things out right here and now," Rantaro cut in, his lips curving into a smirk. "You sure seem interested in keeping your hands in your jacket pockets, Mondo. Why don't you bring them on out? Show us your hands...and if they're just fine, then you can't be the killer. After all...from what Mikan said, whoever beat Hifumi to death did a number on their own hands. They must be pretty bruised up by now..."

Mondo blinked his eyes; quietly assessing his options before letting out a sigh, slowly pulling his hands out of his pockets. Indeed, they were more than bruised and battered from a recent struggle.

"Mondo, why?" Chihiro choked out, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes. "Why did you do something so awful?!"

"Hey, big guy?" Ibuki piped up suddenly, unusually quiet and reserved. "Why don't you tell Ibuki and everyone else what happened. Ibuki refuses to believe you killed in cold blood. Did you kill Shuichi too?"

"Look, before you guys get carried away, let's get one thing straight: I didn't kill Shuichi!" Mondo growled out, scowling as he looked off to the side. "It was just Hifumi. And believe me...I didn't want to kill him. That fat bastard just pissed me off so much...thinkin' he could blackmail _me_..."

Kaede stared at Mondo long and hard, uncertain of how to even take this. She slowly shook her head, wondering what on earth was going on. Between the time difference and the different methods of death...she already half-suspected Shuichi had been killed by a second Blackened. Still...

"Why'd you do it, Mondo? I mean, Hifumi was...odd, sure, but he didn't deserve to die!" she finally exclaimed.

"Like hell he did! That fat bastard tried to blackmail me!" Mondo thundered, his face reddening with rage. "I got a letter yesterday...some asshole named Daichi Fusaka telling me that 'I know what happened to your brother'. Just that, nothin' else. But I know blackmail when I see it. Had no fuckin' clue who was trying to shake me down though...at least, until I heard the truth from Mukuro. Heh, I doubt Fatass expected me to find out it was him tryin' ta screw me over!"

* * *

_It was past midnight when Mondo finally decided it was time to act. He'd been fuming all day...and now he was going to get some goddamn answers!_

_That in mind, he left his cabin and marched straight to Hifumi's cabin. He walked up to the door and started banging on it, hammering at the wooden frame with his fist. "Hey, Fatass! Wake the fuck up! You got some explaining to do!"_

_It took a good minute of hammering at his door, but Hifumi finally answered. He had a bewildered look on his face, but Mondo hardly cared as he barged in past him. _

"_M-Mister Owada? What's going on?! Don't you realize how late it is?!" Hifumi said, rubbing at his eyes blearily. _

_Mondo didn't bother responding: instead he rushed at Hifumi, using his strength to shove and pin him against a wall. "Do you have ANY idea who you're messing with, pal? What kind of shit you're trying to stir up?! I don't know how you know about my brother...but I ain't letting this slide! You're gonna keep your mouth shut about this, ya hear?!"_

"_I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Hifumi squealed out in response, as he struggled to catch his breath. "M-Mister Owada, please! I-I don't...I'd never blackmail you! You're so much stronger than me!"_

"_Strong? STRONG?!" Mondo felt something snap inside of him, as his rage boiled over. "I'll show you strong, you piece of shit!"_

_He lashed out, socking Hifumi right in the face…_

* * *

"I see...so I'm guessing you decided to confront Hifumi later that night. And during your confrontation, your anger got the best of you...and you beat Hifumi to death because of it. Do I have it about right?" Rantaro summarized.

"Tch," Mondo grunted, looking none too happy. "Yeah, you got it right, wiseass. Look, it wasn't right...I know that. But I ain't letting _anyone_ use my brother against me! Even if...fuck it, it doesn't matter. Yeah, I killed Hifumi, I'll confess that much. But he fuckin' deserved it!"

Sonia closed her eyes and lowered her head in resignation, sighing sadly. "Mondo, while I can't condone your actions, my heart goes out to you." She opened her eyes, looking up in concern. "Before we get carried away, we must remember we have a second blackened to find. We must reserve judgment until we identify the second individual."

"Yeah, we can't forget Shuichi's killer!" Tsumugi agreed, nodding her head. "Why would anyone want to kill him? It's not even connected to Mondo's case... I think?"

"No, there's clearly no connection here. Still...something doesn't sit right with Monaca," Monaca murmured, frowning in thought. "Why would Hifumi ever try to blackmail Mondo? It just doesn't make sense. He didn't seem like that sort of guy to Monaca..."

"Yeah, it's real strange..." Kaede commented, nodding her head in agreement. "Maybe it's possible...someone directed Hifumi? But who could that have been?"

Who had been spending a lot of time with Hifumi? That was perhaps the key question here. Offhand, she knew Tsumugi had started hanging out with him...but Kaede couldn't see her friend orchestrating something like this. So who else had been spending time with Hifumi? Someone she could recall casually hanging out with...him...

"Nagito..." Kaede glanced over at the boy in question. "You sure were hanging out with Hifumi a lot, weren't you?"

"Oh? What's this now? Whatever could you be implying, Kaede?" he asked, a smirk gracing his lips.

"I think you know what she's implying!" Rantaro snapped in annoyance. "Did you or did you not manipulate Hifumi somehow?"

Nagito didn't even blink, simply shrugging his shoulders in amusement. "Is that what you think? Do you have any proof?"

"...I do!" Spoke up Tsumugi, the cosplayer leveling a glare at him. She _knew_ Nagito was responsible, and as such, she decided to take a gamble. "Hifumi told me, y'know. He told me he owed you a favor, that he was helping you with something. So just fess up!"

Nagito remained silent for a long moment, before giving a small sigh. "Well, it's not like I was going to keep this a secret forever. Honestly...my rotten luck is all to blame for this. All I wanted was for Mondo to kill me...but, it seems my luck worked against me here. Such a shame, really: I looked forward to being your first stepping stone!"

"Wh-what?!" Kaede blinked rapidly, staring at Nagito in shock. "Wh-what on earth are you talking about here, Nagito?"

"Wait, you wanted me to kill YOU? Well that can fuckin' be arranged!" Mondo growled, cracking his knuckles as he glared daggers at Nagito.

"No, nobody will be doing any such thing," Sonia spoke up, however despite the Princess's calm tone, her expression showed that she was quite disturbed. "And yes, what do you mean Nagito, surely you are not that suicidal? Did you have anything to do with Shuichi's death?"

Nagito remained silent for a good minute, before ever so slowly, a smile spread across his lips

"Well...it's quite simple. This Killing Game...I knew it couldn't end. It would be such a _waste _to let all this potential go unused! After all, you're all symbols of Hope! The best and brightest of Humanity! The moment I heard Usami tell us about the game, I knew that it had the potential to unleash incredible amounts of hope! After all...going through the pain and despair of a game like this...will ensure that whoever survives, will become shining beacons of Hope! Only through the greatest pits of Despair, can a brilliant, overwhelming amount of Hope be created!" Nagito declared, letting out a crazed, wheezing laugh.

Spirals danced in his eyes as he held his hands aloft, his true self finally revealed. "And it was just my luck that I overheard Mondo, on our first day, talking about his brother. I heard enough to divine that there was some big secret there...something that Mondo would _kill_ to keep hidden. And so, I went forward with my plan. I would send him a letter blackmailing him...and from there, I would trust that my Luck would ensure Mondo found out who it was that was blackmailing him. And once he found me...I would become your first stepping stone to this greater Hope! After all, it's all I'm good for...but alas, it seems my Luck backfired."

He paused, sighing for a moment as he ran his robotic hand through his hair. "It was just my luck that my artificial hand, the one I write with...started malfunctioning. So I had to outsource my letter. It wasn't that hard to convince Hifumi to do me a favor...in fact, he was ever so eager to help. But honestly, even _I _couldn't have foreseen what happened next. Mondo discovering it was Hifumi that wrote the letter, and killing him instead of me...well, I suppose I should have expected something like this. My luck has always been a double-edged sword."

"W-Wait...you mean..." Kaede stared at him in horror, her eyes widening in disbelief. "That Hifumi...he was innocent in this? So Mondo..."

"Killed him in cold blood, yes," Nagito confirmed, giving the biker a wide smirk. "Hifumi had no idea why you beat him to death. He was just the unfortunate middle man in my plan."

"..." Mondo's eyes bugged out in shock, as he struggled not to collapse upon hearing that revelation.

"...I think I'm gonna be sick." Sayaka choked, clutching a hand over her chest tightly. "You mean you stopped us from leaving over some crazy ideology? Are you insane?!"

"There's nothing we can do about it now," Rantaro said coldly, glaring at Nagito in fury. "Why he did it is no longer relevant. What we can ask is, did you have anything to do with Shuichi's death?"

"This is all so much..." Kaede shook her head, as she gripped the edges of her podium. How could Nagito do something like this? All for some monstrous, nonsense belief?! What kind of person was he, really, to want to do something like this?!

"Oh? Did I forget to mention? I'm the one who killed Shuichi," Nagito calmly stated. He studied his nails intently, not even bothering to look up at everyone. "He discovered what I was planning, so I had no choice but to kill him, really."

"Ohohoho! Now this is an interesting twist!" Toko exclaimed, giving a series of chuckles as she clutched at her stomach. "Wow, and I thought _I _was messed up! Nagito here sure does take the cake! And he killed Shuichi too, huh? Quite the bold claim to make there!"

"Y-You...you killed Shuichi?!" Kaede gasped out, reeling back in shock. She could hardly take all these revelations! It was all so much at once. "You really did it?!"

"There's no reason to continue this discussion then!" Tsumugi cried out, gritting her teeth together in rage. "Mondo was manipulated, and this bastard has no remorse for killing Shuichi! Let's get to voting!"

"Ibuki agrees, Nagito gives Ibuki the creeps!"

"But did he really do it?" Teruteru muttered under his breath. "There's still so much we don't know..."

"I agree with Teruteru. Please, everyone, let us not be so hasty!" Sonia urged, holding out her hand as if commanding everyone. "Besides, we do not yet know what the note Byakuya found says."

Byakuya opened his mouth to speak at that—however, Usami immediately spoke over him. "_And you won't get to hear it just yet! Where would the fun in that be? You'll get to hear what the letter says in due time...but for now, you losers still have a debate! Current topic of discussion: did Nagito Komaeda kill our beloved Spew-ichi? Let's find out!"_

"Well, it's not much of a debate. I killed Shuichi, quite easily actually," Nagito declared with a dismissive laugh. "I'm confessing here. I really don't see why any of you doubt me."

Kaede furrowed her brow, staring Nagito down as he continued to confess. Part of her _wanted_ to believe it was him...but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a sense of nagging doubt. "Then...what happened? How did Shuichi find out about your plans? Did you lure him onto the boat?"

"It's simple, really!" Nagito chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "He is a detective, and too astute for his own good. I believe he overheard Hifumi and I talking, and Mondo was too loud for his own good. After discovering Hifumi dead, he decided to confront me. We met by the boat docks, and obviously I couldn't have him running his mouth, there's no fun in that. So I killed him with a kitchen knife."

"Kitchen knife...?" Kaede mumbled to herself before her eyes widened in realization. "No, that's wrong! Shuichi was killed with Mukuro's knife!"

"Wait, _what_?!" the girl in question exclaimed from the side.

Kaede nodded her head vigorously. "It's true! Sonia, you still have the knife, right? Show everyone!"

"Oh, of course!" she nodded, producing Mukuro's knife. "This is what killed Shuichi!"

"My, that is quite the knife! Certainly not from the kitchen!" Teruteru spoke up, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

Nagito remained silent for a long moment, before sighing and giving a dismissive shrug. "I suppose I couldn't keep that charade up forever. I didn't actually kill Shuichi: I just wanted to see if your hopeful desire to catch his killer would see through my deception. And it did! You impress me in particular, Kaede. I can see it clearly...above everyone else, your hope shines through!"

"Ok, can you do us a favor now and just shut up?" Sayaka snapped in annoyance. "It's clear you're useless at this point."

"I agree, we're wasting time. He's clearly delusional." Rantaro sighed. "Kaede, just ignore him. We need to get back on track, do you have any idea where we can go from here?"

"I-I'm not sure. I guess...we need to discuss the facts of Shuichi's death now?" Kaede stated as she crossed her arms. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to marshal her thoughts together, before speaking again. "We have a second killer on our hands now, so we need to treat it like a different case."

Right after she spoke, a soft beeping noise suddenly started echoing through the room. Kaede twisted her head around to discover the source...and it didn't take her long at all. The beeping was coming from a horrified looking Yasuhiro: or rather, the bomb collar around his neck.

"_Uh oh! Clock's ticking, losers!"_ Usami cackled in delight. "_Can you make a breakthrough before poor Yasuhiro here loses his head?"_

"Well...if Usami has no objections, I'll speak up," Mukuro stated. "Myself, Byakuya, Miu, Hiro, and Monaca were the ones to discover Shuichi. Usami had sent us a message to report to her on the central island after we woke up, and so we went to the ferry. That's when we found his body. If I had to guess, Usami already knew he was dead, and just wanted us to find him."

Kaede nodded at that. It made enough sense, she supposed. And much like Kiyo, she doubted any of them could have killed Shuichi, since they'd all found the body.

"W-well, um... so, Shuichi died from a stab wound, right?" Chihiro asked curiously after a moment, in an attempt to make some headway.

"Yup yup! Instant stab wound and BAM! Shuichi was instantly killed by Mukuro's knife!" Ibuki offered dramatically, raising a finger in the air in triumph.

Mikan shook her head, and hesitantly spoke up.. "No, actually. That's wrong. If anything, he slowly bled out, probably exacerbating it after removing the knife from his chest. B-but...what I can't understand was why he was on the boat in the first place?"

"Indeed, it is a very good question. Perhaps he was lured there by someone?" Korekiyo suggested, tapping a finger to his chin. "That is the only thing I can think of."

"Well, I can think of one person who might do that..." Akane stated, glancing pointedly at Toko.

"What what what? You think _I_ had something to do with this?!" Toko proclaimed, tilting her head as she stared back at Akane. Her bizarrely long tongue still hung out from her mouth, and the odd look in her eyes hadn't disappeared at all. "Preposterous! I never would have hurt Master Shuichi! Besides, this isn't exactly my MO after all! Kyahahahaha!"

Toko doubled over in laughter, seeming quite amused at her own joke. Kaede, for her part, couldn't help but stare bewilderedly at her. Clearly, Toko must have lost it when Shuichi died: what else would explain her erratic behavior?

"Right..." Kaede cleared her throat, trying to focus back on the case. Though the beeping from Yasuhiro's collar was hard to ignore: and was it her, or was the beeping getting louder and faster? "I won't deny that Toko wasn't obsessed with Shuichi...but I doubt she killed him. I mean, that seems like a real extreme reaction, and we haven't seen any indication that Toko's been real...violent in her behavior."

"My, she has developed quite the tongue. I'd love to see what she could do with that!" Teruteru purred, looking at the writer with a smile. "Are you parched? That's often a reason for a long tongue!"

"Enough. We're getting sidetracked." Sonia spoke up firmly. "As for why Shuichi was on the boat... was it possible he was invited there? Maybe that's what the letter Byakuya found says."

"There's also the two videos Shuichi left on his pad!" Tsumugi pointed out, looking over at Kaede eagerly. "Even more than the letter, those could be the key to breaking open this case! But I'm not sure what the password is...any luck, Kaede?"

"No, none yet," she confirmed with a sigh. She brought out the pad in question, staring at it in consternation. "I've tried all sorts of passwords while we were in the elevator...but nothing stuck. Shuichi might have been too clever for his own good here if we can't figure out what it is..."

As she pondered over that, the beeping from Yasuhiro's collar suddenly grew even louder and more high pitched, making Kaede wince slightly as she covered her ears.

She glanced over at him, and the absolute panic on Hiro's face stopped her short. Tears were running down his eyes, as he frantically tugged at his collar in a vain effort to take it off. At the same time, Byakuya, Miu, and Mukuro were already backing away from him.

"C-Come on guys! There has to be something! Anything!" Hiro shouted in desperation. "I-It's Mukuro! It has to be her, right? Her knife was used to kill him!"

"His stupidity never ceases to amaze me." Sayaka deadpanned, shaking her head. "That makes no sense, Mukuro is clearly intelligent, and her blatantly leaving her own knife out in the open would easily implicate her. No, it's more obvious someone is trying to frame her."

"So maybe it would have to be someone who could easily get to Mukuro and be able to take the knife?" Rantaro suggested. "After all, Mukuro didn't seem to realize it was missing. It would have had to have been recently."

"It was p-probably yesterday. Mukuro, Mondo, and I went out drinking...it's possible she lost her knife during all that. I d-don't remember a lot of what we did," Mikan admitted.

"..." Mondo remained silent: in fact, he'd been silent, and very pale, since he'd found out he had killed Hifumi in cold blood. Nonetheless, he gave a bare nod in acknowledgment of what she said.

"That doesn't give us much to go on. Anyone could have stolen Mukuro's knife if she misplaced it when she was drunk..." Kaede murmured.

Meanwhile, the beeping was only getting worse. Yasuhiro kept trying to wrench the collar off of himself, but of course, it didn't budge. He was hyperventilating at this point, finally giving up on tearing the collar off in favor of clutching at his dreadlocks. "Come on, it's got to be someone, guys! Anyone! M-maybe Mondo? Or N-Nagito! I just...oh god, please, _I don't want to die—!"_

The collar gave a sudden click, and a second later Yasuhiro Hagakure was dead. An explosion echoed through the room as blood, gore, and bone fragments rained down upon them all. At the same time, Yasuhiro's headless corpse tumbled down the steps leading to the center of the room, leaving a pool of pink blood where he landed.

* * *

**18 Students Remain**

* * *

_With special thanks to JC for helping to write this chapter!_

* * *

_Review Replies:_

_Trust: Looks like your guess about Mondo was right!_

_Sliv: Lol, if only!_

_JC: Indeed! Half the case is cracked now, but it remains to be seen who killed Shuichi! _

_Kobold: It's a bit of a cliche in Kaede Lives fanfic for her to wear Shuichi's hat if he dies, but I like it all the same!_

_Honeybee: Indeed, that's very true._

_D-Kirb: Who knows? And thanks, glad you liked it!_


	15. Blood Moon Rising, 1-10 TRIAL II

Kaede stared at Hiro's corpse in mute horror, not even realizing a streak of blood had splashed against her cheek. Everyone else was just as deathly silent: Hiro's violent end had stunned practically everybody. And much like her, it seemed the others had also been caught in the splash zone. The members of the Staff had it the worst though: she could see that all three of them were drenched in Hiro's blood and viscera.

It was ultimately Miu who broke the petrified silence that had enveloped the room, as she gave a sudden, shrill scream. That seemed to set off everyone else, as cries of alarm and horror filled the room. Kaede herself clutched a hand to her mouth, before doubling over, suddenly and abruptly vomiting the contents of her stomach onto the floor.

"O-oh god, he actually..." Sayaka gasped out, fighting back bile.

"Well, that's a shame," Nagito said calmly, flicking off a piece of gore from his face. "His hope was fleeting, and he gave into despair. Now he has become a stepping stone for all of you to overcome! Isn't this amazing?"

"Ibuki thinks you're not right in the head..." she sputtered, wiping her face.

"What are we supposed to do now?!" Chihiro cried, tears streaming down his face.

"_Pop goes the weasel!"_ Usami cackled, shaking in delight as she laughed. "_Poor, unfortunate Hiro...guess he just couldn't stand the pressure, fufufu!"_

"Oh god..." Kaede groaned aloud, clutching at her stomach as she struggled to recover. She felt her body give a few dry heaves, but nothing came out thankfully.

"_Eh, you're all a bunch a pansy cucks! But...I guess we're not getting anywhere while you're like this. Take five, everybody! It's intermission time!" _Usami declared after a moment.

A moment later, the sound of a ringing bell echoed through the room, and duplicates of Usami started streaming into the room. One ran up to Usami Prime, apparently doing her 'makeup', while a few offered hand towels to the Staff, for the good it would do. And a few others started cleaning up the blood, gore and vomit, dragging away Hiro's body in the process.

As the students numbly watched the Usami clones clean up, a few mulled around, giving hushed whispers and having quiet conversations with one another.

Mondo was silently standing off to the side, a blank expression on his face. However, he was sneaking furious glances over at an equally lonely Nagito, as nobody was within 20 feet of the lucky student.

Sayaka was comforting a crying Chihiro, having given him a towel to wipe his eyes with. Meanwhile, Teruteru, Ibuki, and Mikan were all talking, the musician trying to comfort her two friends. And Sonia was showing Rantaro Mukuro's knife.

Kaede was snapped out of her musings as Tsumugi approached her, the cosplayer giving her a tired look.

"Hey, how are you holding up Kaede?" she asked.

"Well, I just watched a man die right in front of me, I threw up my breakfast, and we're still no closer to finding out who killed Shuichi. So I'm doing just peachy," Kaede snapped in reply, grimacing as she hugged her shoulders. She paused immediately afterward, before giving a small sigh. "Sorry. That was uncalled for. I'm just...god, this is all so fucked up."

"No, it's alright. You have every right to feel that way." Tsumugi replied, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Ever since we found Shuichi dead, my one thought has been on making sure his killer pays. But... after Mondo's revelation, and Hiro's death, I'm second guessing myself. What if his killer was manipulated by Nagito too?"

"It's possible. I doubt we'll get a straight answer out of Nagito either way," Kaede stated, briefly glaring at the white-haired boy. "All we can do now is try and follow the evidence. If I could just figure out the password to these videos, I'm sure we could break the case wide open...but I'm drawing a blank. Any ideas, Mugi?"

"No, none. And that upsets me because I feel like it should be something we know. After all, he was smart, I'm sure he at least accounted for his death a little bit, right?" The cosplayer cried out in annoyance, grabbing her head and shaking it. "I dunno, maybe I'm overthinking it..."

"Well, maybe if we're lucky, we'll come up with something during the trial. Or Byakuya might finally be allowed to read the letter he found: maybe there's a clue there?" Kaede suggested, offering Tsumugi a weak smile.

"_Okay people! Intermission is over! We're back on schedule! Let's get this party moving!" _Usami announced seconds later. Her clones all started rushing out of the room after that, and at her direction, they all went back to their podiums. One last clone stayed behind, seeming to count down before nodding at Usami Prime.

"_And we're live! Time to get back to more thrills, chills, and kills! You've managed to figure out who killed Hifumi Yamada...but can you do the same for dear Shuichi?" _Usami questioned as she maliciously chortled.

An oppressed silence was the only reply Usami received. Everyone present seemed traumatized and shaken by Yasuhiro's violent, bloody death.

"Well? Are we just gonna stand here holding our dicks all day, or are we gonna get something done here?" Akane finally interjected, rolling her eyes slightly as she glanced about the room.

Well, almost everybody.

"Well _excuse me_, but some of us are having a hard time adjusting to what just happened!" Sayaka snapped, glaring over at Akane. "We just watched someone die right in front of our eyes!"

Akane, however, gave a soft scoff and shook her head. "Oh, please! As if anyone here actually gave a shit about Hiro. I mean honestly: did anyone actually _like _him?"

Sayaka, and more than a few others for that matter, openly gawked at Akane's brazen attitude. Before anyone else could argue with her however, Rantaro jumped in.

"Whatever our feelings might have been about Yasuhiro, we have more important matters to resolve. Hiro's death was a tragedy, but we can't let ourselves lose sight of our goal. We know who killed Hifumi: now we must figure out who it was that killed Shuichi," he firmly stated, crossing his arms.

"He's right…" Kaede agreed, giving a little sigh. "We'll have to mourn Hiro later. We still need to get to the bottom of what happened with Shuichi. It might seem callous, but, well...we don't have much of a choice in the matter."

"Quite right. In that case, we should review the facts of Shuichi's case as a group. What do we know of his murder?" Korekiyo pondered.

"Well, we know Shuichi died almost an hour after Hifumi. He was stabbed with Mukuro's knife, which she lost the other day, and bled to death not long after. We also know Shuichi wrote some sort of letter...but so far Usami has denied us access to it. We also know Shuichi apparently left two videos on his pad, but we haven't figured out the passwords for it yet, so that's not helpful either," Sayaka recounted with a grimace.

"Speaking of which...it could be a long shot, but maybe Chihiro could take a look at his pad? H...er, she's a programmer, so it shouldn't be too hard to hack past the password prompts, right?" Tsumugi suggested eagerly.

"I, uh...it doesn't exactly work like that…" Chihiro hesitantly replied, scratching his chin nervously. "B-But, I can at least take a look!"

Kaede nodded at that, and proceeded to pass the pad along, until it reached Chihiro. The programmer took it eagerly and started looking through it right away, chewing on his lip thoughtfully as he worked on it.

"In the meantime, there are other facts to consider," Sonia brought up. "Shuichi died on the ferry...which, I have to say, I still find suspicious. Why was he there in the first place?"

"He was lured there, obviously!" Tsumugi interjected with a huff. "Someone must have lured Shuichi there to kill him, right? That's all there is to it!"

"But do we know that for sure?"

Kaede blinked in surprise, and glanced over at Rantaro. He had a rather intense look on his face, and a vigilant gleam in his eyes.

"There are other possibilities here to consider," Rantaro continued. "And we need to consider them all. Including...the possibility that Shuichi _wasn't_ lured to the ferry."

"Rantaro...just what are you suggesting here?" she asked, feeling a knot starting to develop in her stomach. Surely he couldn't mean…?

No, he definitely did: the look on his face said it all. And when he spoke again, his words confirmed her suspicions. "No matter how distasteful it may be...we have to consider the possibility that it was _Shuichi _who was luring someone else to the boat."

"Wh-what?!" Tsumugi reared back in shock, her eyes widening. "Y-You can't be serious! Shuichi wouldn't...he's not that kind of person! He's not like Mondo, or Nagito!"

"And how do we know that for sure? Most of us have all known each other for what, a few days, tops? Do we really understand each other that well?" Akane countered. "Besides, Shuichi wasn't an idiot or anything. He was a fucking detective after all! So why would he ever go out at night, alone, to meet someone on the ferry? Even I could have figured out it was a trap!"

"Much as I wish to disagree with this notion...it does carry some disturbing amount of sense," Sonia murmured anxiously. "We already know Shuichi was keeping secrets from us."

Korekiyo raised an eyebrow at that, clearly intrigued. "Why, whatever do you mean by that, dear Sonia?"

"My apologizes, we really should have spoken about this sooner. Myself, Tsumugi, and Kaede found these files in the basement of the admin building that had information on everyone, though some were missing. There was also a file that was burnt...though now that I've had some time to examine the remains, I do believe it to be a police report. Regardless, we had our suspicions that maybe Shuichi had discovered these files earlier. After all, he was one of the people who investigated the basement when we first explored. And if he did...well, he never told anyone about it." she elaborated.

"I see…" Rantaro tapped his chin consideringly, as he mulled over her words. "We don't have any conclusive proof, of course. But if Shuichi _did _discover these files, and didn't tell us...well, it only makes him even more suspicious."

"B-but you're wrong! Shuichi, he'd never...never do something like this! Isn't that right, Kaede?" Tsumugi cried, looking over to her for guidance.

"I…" Kaede's voice died in her throat, as she looked away uncertainly. Just an hour ago, she would have eagerly leapt to Shuichi's defense. But now…

Well, Nagito had turned out to be something far worse than any of them could have imagined. As much as she hated to think about it...could she really rule out the same possibility with Shuichi?

"I'm sorry, Tsumugi, I really am, but...we have to consider this," Kaede finally declared, unable to look her friend in the eye. "Besides...Shuichi...he was acting odd last night, wasn't he?"

* * *

"_After all this is over...would you still want to be friends with me? Either of you?"_

_"You two...are far kinder than I really deserve."_

* * *

"I…" Tsumugi grimaced. "I mean, he was a little...melancholy, I guess? But...but, this is still such a big leap! There really isn't any evidence here that suggests that!"

"_Oh, but isn't there?" _Usami snidely cut in.

That got _everyone's _attention. The malicious rabbit broke out into a series of giggles, and waved a stubby paw at them all. "_Ding da ding ding! Now we're really getting somewhere! And because of that...I think I'll throw y'all a bone now, fufufu. It's time everyone got to hear that letter!" _

"Hmm...something tells me this isn't going to be good," Rantaro darkly muttered, as he glowered at their captor.

"Still, we're not making any significant headway here. Until Chihiro can crack open Shuichi's pad, this letter here is our next best source for evidence," Sonia countered.

Byakuya, meanwhile, gave a relieved sigh. He nodded to himself as he reached into his blood-stained suit, and unfolded the letter. He glanced through it one last time before he looked down at them all.

"The letter is long and lengthy, so I shall do my best to summarize. However, I am afraid that there is some truth to Master Rantaro's suspicions. I regret to inform you all that...Master Shuichi wasn't a victim. He wasn't lured to the boat by someone else. In fact...he was planning on killing someone there."

A deafening silence gripped the courtroom in the aftermath of that revelation, as shock and horror coursed through all of them. No one was sure what to say, least of all Kaede herself.

Her heart pounded heavily in her chest, and the walls felt like they were closing in on her. It felt as if her whole world was crumbling around her, as Kaede struggled to come to terms with this revelation.

"_Shuichi...how could you…?"_

Finally, Tsumugi broke the stunned silence with her frantic, repeated denial. "W-What? That has to be a mistake! Shuichi, h-he'd never do anything like this! He's..he's not like Nagito!"

"Hm, sometimes we don't know people as well as we think we do..." Rantaro sighed unhappily. "I honestly didn't want to be right here."

"God, this changes everything...wait, does this mean that...whoever killed Shuichi, that they did it in self-defense?" Sayaka pointed out, looking vaguely disturbed.

"Byakuya...y-you can't be serious. Shuichi...he'd never..." Kaede felt herself grow pale, as she stared in disbelief at the butler. He merely shook his head in response though, holding up the letter with one hand.

"It's all in here, Kaede. Shuichi's confession. There's more to the story, however. He wasn't planning on killing just anyone...no. His prey was a serial killer," he declared, grim-faced. "According to Shuichi's testimony, he uncovered the fact that someone among our midst was in fact an infamous serial killer. I'm not sure who it is...any mentions of the killer or their true identity have been censored in the letter, no doubt by Usami. But in this letter, Shuichi was a hundred percent sure that someone among us is a serial murderer."

"What what what? A secret serial killer, here, with us! Kyahahaha, how scandalous!" Toko chortled with a wide, unnerving grin. "Whoever could have Master Shuichi meant by that?"

"My, what an intriguing turn of events! It is quite the question to consider, as well. Who among us could be hiding such a powerful secret?" Korekiyo openly wondered.

"Eureka! The files! That must have been how Shuichi found out!" Sonia declared, eyes lighting up in realization. "At some point he must have gone back to the basement, discovered the files...and found out that someone among us is a serial killer!"

"Yeah, that could be it. He's also a detective...he might have noticed some signs that none of us could have seen? At the very least, I wouldn't be surprised if what Shuichi found, or tried to find, with the files only confirmed his suspicions," Kaede agreed, reluctantly nodding her head. A fact that she regretted almost instantly, as she felt quite dizzy all of a sudden.

God, this was really happening, wasn't it? Shuichi had tried to kill someone. Sure, it was a serial killer, and not some innocent person...but did that really make it any better? Did it make up for the fact that Shuichi had betrayed her, had betrayed them all, in trying to commit such a heinous act?

...

Why hadn't he said anything? Why had he kept her and Tsumugi in the dark about all this? His melancholic mood last night...it must have been about this. That's why...he was acting the way he had. Had he had second thoughts, then? Or had their talk only strengthened his resolve? More likely than not, she'd never know for sure...

"Have you been able to discern anything from what's left of the report?" Rantaro asked after Kaede herself had fallen silent. He spared her a brief glance, before focusing back on Sonia. "The one that was burnt, that is. You said you thought it was a police file?"

"Oh, yes! I wasn't sure how it factored into things before, but I'm starting to get a clear picture now," Sonia replied, her eyes lighting up with determination. "Yes, like I said, it was a police report. And from what I could tell...it was about the infamous Genocide Jack, a serial killer in Japan that kills young men, typically high school boys, exclusively!"

"Uh, Ibuki thinks you're too excited about this..." Ibuki chuckled nervously.

"Oh, apologies. You see, studying serial killers is kind of a hobby of mine." Sonia admitted sheepishly with a laugh.

"A serial killer named Genocide Jack...? Yeah, that name does sound a little familiar," Kaede noted with a frown. "Still, it doesn't give us a lot to go on...how did Shuichi even suspect that this Genocide Jack was with us in the first place?"

"Kyehahaha, a very good question!" Toko enthused, giving another deranged bout of laughter. "I wonder, I wonder, what tipped him off?"

Rantaro eyed her oddly, before shaking his head after a moment. "Toko's definitely lost it. I think she might be in some sort of delusional state or something..."

"Delusional..." Sonia eyed Toko suspiciously for a moment, before clearing her throat and continuing. "Anyways, I do believe I can offer a bit of insight on Genocide Jack. Obviously, since this file is here, we can assume that someone here is this elusive serial killer. Police reports indicate that it is a high school girl, which would eliminate half the people here. Perhaps we can start from there?"

"A female serial killer? May, how unusual and intriguing!" Kiyo proclaimed, chuckling slightly. "Still. that does help eliminate half of our suspects. And as we know it cannot be Mukuro, as established by earlier guidelines...we have eleven suspects available: Kaede, Tsumugi, Sonia, Akane, Monaca, Mikan, Toko, Sayaka, Ibuki, Miu, and Chihiro."

"Well, it certainly isn't Monaca! She was in bed all night with Big Sis Mukuro!" Monaca interjected, pouting slightly as she crossed her arms.

"Akane was with me all night too. I can vouch for her whereabouts," Rantaro chimed in.

"A-And don't you go implying I'm some misandrist serial killer, you cr-creepy dickwad!" Miu interjected, shivering uncomfortably as she crossed her arms over her cleavage.

The poor girl was covered in Yasuhiro's gore, and the fact she'd been wearing a bunny-girl outfit ensured that plenty of her bare skin was covered in blood. She looked downright traumatized by all this, but she seemed to be holding herself together by some miracle.

"I am inclined to agree with Miu...I hardly see her as the serial killer type, to be perfectly frank. A masochist and sexual deviant, most certainly, but no more than that." Korekiyo mused. "So that leaves us with eight suspects then."

"W-Well, it's definitely not me!" Kaede interjected, wanting to nip _that_ suspicion right in the bud. "And it can't be Tsumugi or Sonia either...I mean, Sonia's telling us all this in the first place, it wouldn't make sense. And Tsumugi...well, we both trusted Shuichi, and he trusted us. There's no way we'd ever...harm him. Or do anything to anybody else, for that matter!"

"Indeed. Also, I'm not even Japanese." The princess added, looking around.

"It can't be me too," Sayaka interjected. "There's hardly ever a time when I'm alone in my personal life, whether it is because I'm with bandmates, producers and such. I just don't have time for a serial killer double life."

"I-I-It's not me either! I-I-I could never hurt anyone!" Mikan protested, tears gathering at her eyes as she nervously clutched her apron. "I-I swore to only do good, and heal people! I could never do anything so cr-cruel!"

Chihiro, for his part, remained silent. He looked deeply uncomfortable, as he looked around the courtroom nervously. "I...well. I didn't want it to come out this way...but, I guess I don't have a choice. If it helps narrow down our suspect list...well…"

He steeled himself, taking in a comforting breath of air, before blurting out, "Um, I'm...um...not a girl. I'm actually a guy."

Another stunned silence filled the room, as just about everyone turned their attention to Chihiro. Chihiro, meanwhile, flushed heavily at their stares, squirming in place as he looked down at his podium.

"Um...Ibuki can back this up. For sure. J-Just don't ask Ibuki how, or why!" she exclaimed, as her face grew incredibly red.

"Well. Um. I ah, suppose that eliminates Chihiro from our suspect pool," Rantaro finally stated, his eyes blinking rapidly.

"Oh my god...there's a boy that's cuter than me…" Sayaka murmured, dumbfounded. "_There's a boy that's cuter than me!"_

"Eh, I'm not sure I buy it...maybe we outta see some proof first, huh?" said Akane, a wolfish grin on her face. "Maybe he should whip out that-!"

"Th-that's not gonna be necessary!" Kaede interjected, clearing her throat. "Tsumugi and I can also vouch for Chihiro. It uh, might be hard to believe...but he really is a guy."

Korekiyo, for his own part, simply shrugged. "There is no shame in crossdressing. In fact, it is a practice near as old as history itself. Regardless, we do need to get back on track. We have hard alibis for Mukuro, Monaca, and Akane. By logic and reasoning, we can rule out Sonia and Sayaka. Chihiro is a boy, and thus disqualified. That just leaves Mikan, Miu, Ibuki, Kaede, Tsumugi, and Toko left for potential suspects. Though I myself doubt that either Mikan or Miu could be our culprit."

"Uh, to be fair, Ibuki is just as busy as Sayaka when it comes to being a musician! Wellll, maybe not _as _busy, but still! Ibuki is constantly going on tour, playing to crowds, refining her talent!" Ibuki declared, thrusting a hand up into the air.

"Quite right. So Ibuki is out...I think most of us are fine taking Miu and Mikan out of consideration...so that just leaves three suspects left," Rantaro noted.

"Hey! Kaede said it already can't be us! We were closest to Shuichi! We'd...we'd never hurt him!" Tsumugi protested, glaring heatedly at him.

"My apologizes, but we can't be for sure. Some serial killers like to get close to their victims, after all...and besides, Shuichi was spending time with you two the most: perhaps because of that, he noticed certain signs that could have made him suspicious. Not that I'm accusing either of you two, of course," Sonia pointed out.

"No, it's fine. We understand," Kaede was quick to reassure. She still felt drained, and so very tired...but she had to pull through now. For her sake, and Shuichi's.

"Still, I know I'm innocent, and I believe Tsumugi is too. And if it's not either of us two...then that only leaves…"

Kaede paused, and turned her gaze to someone she'd already defended...someone she hadn't thought possible of killing Shuichi. Of course, that was before all this new information came to light. Now she knew better.

"Toko..." Kaede spoke softly, her eyes slowly narrowing. "She's been acting strange this entire trial, hasn't she? Not to mention she's the only other girl besides Tsumugi and I that I can think of, that Shuichi spent a lot of time with. By process of elimination...it must be her! It has to be her!"

"It's a somewhat flimsy and shaky line of logic...but, I think it's right all the same!" Sonia agreed. "And her acting strange was something that tipped me off. Mostly because it has been speculated that Genocide Jack is a split personality... and 'Toko' has been acting odd for quite some time, as if its a completely different person..."

"Wait a gosh darn minute now!" Teruteru hastily interjected. "We can't be jumping to no conclusions now! We only got one shot at this! Besides, Toko's behavior don't necessarily mean she's got another person in her head. I mean, she could just be reacting to the stress of it all. At the very least, we should let Toko defend herself!"

Toko, who'd remained disturbingly silent the whole team, nodded her head. "Yes, yes! It's only fair now, isn't it? Well, I can definitely say I did not kill Master Shuichi! How _dare_ you hussies make such a baseless accusation!"

Toko pointed dramatically at them, scowling fiercely as she went on. "Besides, where's your proof, huh? All you've got are some meaningless claims! You're sure eager to deflect blame too, Kay-day. Wanna get suspicion off of you and your personal carpet muncher?"

"Wh-what?!" Kaede balked at that. "I-I already said, it can't be us! We—!"

"But it's pretty flimsy reasoning overall," Rantaro interjected. He gave a sheepish sigh, an apologetic smile on his lips. "Sorry, Kaede, but Toko's got a point. Sure, she's acting weird, but we don't have any hard evidence against her either. And until we can get conclusive evidence to clear either you or Tsumugi...we can't really just discount you as a suspect."

Tsumugi gave a frustrated groan at that, gnashing her teeth together as she tried to find something to refute Rantaro's reasoning. Finally, she looked over at Chihiro, and desperately beseeched, "Please, Chihiro, have you had any luck whatsoever? Have you gotten access to those videos yet? I'm sure it's a message from Shuichi telling us who his killer is!"

"I'm sorry…" Chihiro gave a little sniffle, and shook his head. "This is a lot harder to break into than I thought. I haven't made a lot of headway. I might be able to break into it eventually, but...that could take more time than we have right now."

Kaede frowned in distaste, crossing her arms over her chest as she considered her options. Those videos would no doubt provide the key evidence they needed to take Toko down...but until Chihiro cracked the pad, or figured out the password, they were utterly useless.

What now? How could they possibly advance forward? It wasn't as if she or Tsumugi had a good alibi for last night…

"You're thinking about this far too hard, Kaede. The answer is right in front of you, it's so simple!" Nagito suddenly spoke up.

Kaede stared over at him in surprise: he'd been silent for so long, she'd almost forgotten he was even here.

"Think about it long and hard...I know you can do it! After all, your hope shines the brightest here, out of all of us!" Nagito went on, spreading his arms wide. "Believe—!"

"Shut up, Nagito! No one wants to hear your deranged advice!" Tsumugi interrupted heatedly.

Kaede glanced over at him one more time, before closing her eyes in thought. She had to do this...she had to figure out this case! For her sake, and Shuichi's...for everyone, really. No matter how hard this was, she had to figure everything out!

Okay...if she were Shuichi in this scenario, what would she do? How could she prove that she and Tsumugi were innocent, or that Toko was guilty? Toko honestly had a good point. They didn't have any hard evidence...

Maybe...she should find some hole in Toko's words? A gap in her defense? What had she said to defend herself? Was there any contradiction there?

….

….

...No, no contradictions...but a lack of something. A denial that Toko _hadn't _made!

Kaede opened her eyes, and stared Toko down. "You didn't deny it. When you defended yourself earlier...you didn't deny being a serial killer. You made no effort to deny that you were Genocide Jack!"

"Eh?" Toko questioned, tilting her head in response.

"That's right!" Tsumugi gasped. "She told us she didn't kill Shuichi, and that we didn't have any evidence to suggest she was guilty. But even after we accused her of being a serial killer...she didn't deny it!"

"What what what?" Toko questioned. She gave a slight huff a moment later, rolling her eyes for affect. "Oh, fine! If you wanna be pedantic about it...fine, I'm not this serial killer you're looking for! Hell...there's no way I could be! After all...Master Shuichi wasn't killed in Genocide Jack's signature style, riiiight? He was killed with a knife, and we all know Jack uses scissors to off her victims!"

Kaede was momentarily flummoxed by that, her mind sent a whirl. Was that _really_ the case…?

But Sonia gave a sudden, dramatic gasp, and her eyes lit up. She thrust a hand out towards Toko and declared, "No, that's wrong! You're right, I mean, Shuichi wasn't killed in Jack's signature style...but! How do you know about Jack's scissors? I know everything there is to know about Jack's case...and nowhere in the public reports, was it made known that Genocide Jack uses scissors to kill her victims! That information was kept confidential, and known only to the police and investigators! I know this for a fact, because the police report I salvaged talked about the scissors! So tell me, Toko...how did you know about Genocide Jack's preferred tool for murder?"

A sense of tension flooded back into the courtroom, as all eyes landed on Toko Fukawa, waiting for her response. Kaede herself couldn't help but watch with bated breath...though deep down, she knew this was it.

There was no way Toko was gonna talk her way out of this.

Toko remained silent for a good, long moment, before suddenly grinning wide. Letting out another cackle, she declared, "So, you figured it out huh? Whatever! I won't deny it any longer. So congrats, you're right! I'm the Ultimate Murderous Fiend, Genocide Jack! Or better yet, let's go with Genocide Jill! Kyeehahahaha!"

That said, her hands darted to her skirt, and in a flash, Toko—or rather, Genocide Jack/Jill—pulled out a pair of distinctive scissors, one in each hand!

"By Paris Hilton's breasts!" Teruteru exclaimed, his eyes growing wide as he stared at Jack, aghast. "So done gone and admitted to it!"

"Toko...no, Jack. You really did it..." Kaede took a step back, swallowing nervously as she stared down the serial killer. So this was the truth...all along, the mousy, antisocial Toko Fukawa was an infamous serial killer! Or at least, had a split personality that was a serial killer, if Sonia was to be believed.

Chihiro stared wide-eyed at the murderous fiend; his knees shaking as he tried to stay upright. Putting a brave face, he raised his head in determination to look at Jill. "W-Will you please tell us what happened? We just want to find out the truth."

"Yes, while I have many questions for you, they will have to wait." Sonia giggled, before straightening herself and clearing her throat. "Apologies. I'm kind of a huge fan."

"...are you kidding me right now?" Rantaro sighed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"The truth huh? You want the truth? You can't handle the truth! Kyehahahaha!" Jack chortled, before shaking her head. "Just kidding! Honestly, I ain't got a single idea of what happened."

"...What?" Kaede asked, giving Jack a blank look. "Toko—er, Jack—now's not the time to be joking around. Please, we just want the truth about what happened with Shuichi!"

Jack rolled her eyes, and thrust her scissors in her direction, snipping them as she cried, "What part of split personality don't you get?! That gloomy girl and I may share the same body, but we don't have the same memories! All I know is that she fainted last night while on that boat, and I came to while Shuichi was dying. I gotta tell ya, I'm pretty miffed about that too. If anyone was gonna kill Master Shuichi, _it should have been me!"_

"So it was Toko who dealt the final blow." Sayaka surmised, turning to Usami curiously. "This actually raises an interesting question: do Toko and Jill count as two different people? And if so, how would punishment be carried out? After all, Jill had nothing to do with this... and I can't believe I am defending a serial killer."

"_That's a very good question! Well, normally, Toko and Jill would count as two different people. Buuuut...they do share the same body. I can't really punish one without punishing the other, so consider it a two for the price of one deal!"_ Usami declared with a decisive nod.

"So, regardless of whether it was Toko or Jack that killed Shuichi, they will both be punished for it," Kiyo summarized, staring at Jill in obvious fascination. "My my, how intriguing!"

"Not the time for intrigue and fanboyism." Rantaro chided, glaring at Sonia and Korekiyo. He turned to face Jill. "As fun as this has been, is there any way you can switch back to Toko? We need to talk to her and figure out what happened."

"Well tough shit, Mister Tall and Handsome! I can't just do it at the drop of a hat!" Jill retorted, snipping her scissors at Rantaro. "I—!"

Usami interrupted Jill, suddenly zooming through the air and landing on her podium. She then flung a fistful of pepper onto her face. Jill gagged, before giving a sudden sneeze. And in the blink of an eye, Jack was gone, and Toko was back.

"H-huh? Wh-what's going on?" she asked, looking around in a daze.

"We're at the trial for Hifumi and Shuichi's death," Tsumugi said somewhat coldly, glaring daggers at Toko. "And we just figured out that you killed Shuichi to protect your murderous split personality."

"Ummm, Ibuki thinks you're being a bit harsh." The musician piped up. "After all, she killed him in self-defense, right?"

"That's what we need to figure out. Perhaps it is time we hear from the person in question?" Sonia offered.

Toko paled considerably, and her eyes darted around the courtroom in a clear panic. She lowered her head, grabbing her hair with both hands as she gave out a low, pained groan. "I-I-It wasn't my fault! It...th-this is a nightmare, it has to be! I...Master Shuichi, he...h-he slipped a letter under my door, in the middle of the night. T-Told me to meet him on the boat at a specific time. S-So, I was elated! I went to go meet him...b-but, when I got there..."

* * *

_It was late at night, and a little scary if Toko was being honest with herself, but she found that she didn't care. All that she knew was that her Master wanted a secret, late-night meeting with her! That could only mean one thing of course...and the very thought of it had her so excited!_

_That in mind, she climbed up onto the deck of the ferry with ease, looking around for Shuichi anxiously. "Ma-er, um, Darling Shuichi...I-I'm here! Wh-where are you...?"_

"_I'm right here." The detective replied, stepping down from the stairs of the ferry. "You came alone, right?" He asked the writer somewhat coldly._

"_Y-Yes, of course!" Toko confirmed, nodding her head happily. "L-Like I'd bring anyone here to ruin our special night together, Darling! Although...er, n-no offense, but confirming our love on a boat wasn't what I had in mind...b-but, I'm sure it'll be great!"_

"_That's not why I called you here." Shuichi muttered abruptly, cutting her off. He paused for a moment, before going on. _

_"You know, I didn't want to believe it. Despite your...personality, I didn't want to think that you could be...a monster. But that boy...the one you told me about on the first day. I recognized that name right away. How could I not, when he's the first known victim of Genocide Jack? It could've been a coincidence, of course...however, the signs I saw kept adding up. My uncle trained me thoroughly, taught me how to notice and observe the subtle signs of behavior people like you exhibit. Your odd changes in personality, your obsessive behaviors, your tendency toward stalking, your fixation on certain kinds of men, your self-loathing...it all added up over time. Can you imagine how I felt, when all these signs and behaviors also fit in with the profile my uncle created for Genocide Jack? Honestly...do you think I'm blind? An idiot? At the end of the day, I'm still a detective through and through."_

_He closed his eyes briefly, before staring at her again, finishing his speech shortly thereafter. "And when I finally went digging around in some of those files...I found many interesting things, including a police report you tried to destroy. In the end, that only confirmed my suspicions."_

_Toko froze, her breath hitching in her throat as she stared at Shuichi in dawning horror. She looked away for a moment, clearly uncomfortable, and more than a little ashamed as she stuttered, "Y-You found out? B-But, you have to understand, Darling! That...that beast isn't me! N-Not really. She's...a split personality. Some...d-d-demon that possesses my body! I swear, I don't m-mean to hurt people...b-but I can't stop her! There's n-nothing I can do to stop her!"_

"_A split personality huh? Just like my uncle theorized," Shuichi mused, appraising the girl in front of him. "Toko, I have worked for years with my uncle and the police to help track down Genocide Jack. A classmate of mine even became one of Jack's victims. We weren't close, but...I couldn't help but feel responsible. Never catching Jack was one of my greatest regrets. But now... I can end this." he began taking cautious steps towards her, pulling a hand from behind his back as he revealed his knife. "I'm sorry Toko... you seem like a nice girl, and this is nothing personal, but I have to put a stop to Jack before she hurts someone innocent here on this island."_

_Toko stumbled backwards, staring agape at Shuichi as his knife shone in the vibrant light of the moon. Before she could even fully process what she was doing, Toko rushed towards Shuichi, reaching for the knife. The two of them engaged in a brief struggle, as Toko desperately tried to wrench the knife out of her beloved's hands. After a long minute, she even succeeded: it wasn't until the blood started running down her hands, however, that she realized she'd stabbed Shuichi in the scuffle._

_Shuichi coughed, spitting out blood from his mouth as he began to bleed out. He stumbled backward, hitting the wall behind him and slumping against it. The handle of the knife stuck out from his stomach, his slick pink blood already staining his uniform. _

_Toko could only stare at him in horror, her whole body trembling. Finally, she couldn't take any more of it, and found herself swiftly losing consciousness. _

* * *

Toko fell silent as she finished recapping the prior night, tears in her eyes as she anxiously clutched at her hair.

For her part, Kaede wasn't even sure how to react. She'd wanted to believe it was a lie or a misunderstanding...but it wasn't. Shuichi really _had_ tried to kill her.

Granted, Toko _was_ an infamous serial killer, and Shuichi had only been trying to protect them all. But did that make it right?

"Well, this was not how I expected any of this to go." Rantaro sighed. "Not everything is so black and white."

"What do we do now?" Sonia asked quietly.

"Easy. We have to decide who to vote for." Rantaro answered. "Regardless of our feelings on the matter, we have to come to a consensus."

"Ah, but that isn't true. Usami pointedly said that whoever has the most votes in a two killer scenario, is the one who is executed," Korekiyo pointed out, giving a dry little chuckle. "Which is a good thing I shall say. I fear that getting a consensus on this case will be difficult, at best."

"Yes, it's quite the fascinating dilemma, isn't it? Do we vote for someone who killed in cold blood, yet was unwittingly manipulated into doing it? Or do we vote to kill an admitted serial killer who only fought in her own self-defense? Whose hope shall reign supreme here?!" Nagito openly questioned, spreading his arms wide as spirals danced in his eyes.

"Shut up, Nagito! No one's talking to you!" Kaede snapped, glaring at him briefly before giving a sigh.

Her gaze flickered back and forth between Toko and the still silent Mondo, weighing them both in her mind. "...He's not wrong though. It'd a tough decision to make..."

"Agreed," Sayaka said softly, hugging herself. "They both honestly deserve a shot at redemption... can't we just vote for Nagito instead?"

"I... I'm not sure I can choose!" Chihiro blubbered, shedding tears.

"It's really not that hard in my opinion. I know who I'm voting for." Tsumugi muttered, eyeing Toko.

"Well, I don't think it's a tough call to make. Honestly, I don't blame Shuichi going after Toko. She's a fucking serial killer! Genocide Jack has killed over a dozen people. Sure, she killed Shuichi in self-defense, but let's not forget she already has innocent blood on her hands," Akane declared as she glowered at Toko.

Teruteru, however, tugged nervously at his collar as he started speaking up. "Now hold up! Now, I ain't tryin' to defend no serial killer or nothin'...but are we just gonna ignore the fact that Mondo here killed Hifumi? We can all agree Nagito's at fault here, but Mondo's still the one who lost control over his temper. He killed a man in his blind rage! Are we just gonna forget about that?!"

"..." Mondo, for his part, remained speechless. His face was still quite pale, and he seemed to be staring almost obsessively at his own bruised hands.

"_Enough chit chat here! I think I've let you all simmer on this long enough!_" Usami butted in. The mechanical rabbit leaned forward on her throne, eagerly taking in the scene below her. "_It's voting time, boys and girls! Time to make your final picks! Will it be Roid Rage Mondo that earns your ire, or will it be Dark and Brooding Toko who's burned in a fire?! Cast your votes, people! Fufufufu!"_

For her part, Kaede remained silent, sparing Toko one last glance, before casting her vote with everyone else.

"_And the results are in! Did you make the right decision? Does it really matter? Let's find out!"_ Usami enthused, before turning her gaze upward. A second of the upper wall opened itself up, revealing a screen with 8-bit animated sprites of everyone on it. The votes were displayed next to each sprite, revealing the result was—

"_A tie?!"_ Usami nearly fell out of her seat as she gaped in shock. "_I knew it! You goddamn losers can't get anything right! I can't believe I got a tie!"_

"W-wait, that can't be right...there's only fifteen of us voting, yeah? The Staff didn't vote. So who's the sixteenth vote?" Rantaro pointed out.

"_Eh, don't think about it too hard. That's just your last classmate's vote: he ain't ready to join you schmucks yet, so he's been getting a feed of this in his hospital bed,"_ Usami impatiently explained, rolling her eyes. "_And no, I ain't answering any questions about 'em!"_

Rantaro shook his head, massaging his forehead. "I guess that's a mystery for another time. What a mess."

"So... what do we do now?" Tsumugi asked, apprehension visible on her face.

"As if this couldn't be dragged out any longer..." Sonia replied tiredly. "Is there a way to break the tie?"

"Ah, but I believe the solution is staring at us right in the face," Korekiyo announced, before glancing over at Usami with keen eyes. "You said you counted Genocide Jack as a separate entity, yes? Does that not mean she gets a vote, too?"

"H-huh?" Toko finally broke out of her stupor, before she warily glanced at the rabbit.

"_Oh ho! Good point there, pretty boy! Yes...I suppose Jack does deserve her own vote, doesn't she?" _Usami declared, before giving an impish giggle.

Without any warning she suddenly launched herself at Toko, whipping out a taser that she then jammed against Toko's neck. Toko gave out a strangled cry and collapsed to the ground, convulsing in agony...but after a moment, she stopped. Before anyone realized it, she popped back on her feet, apparently no worse for wear.

"Woah! Talk about an electrifying awakening! Kyehahahaha!" Jack cackled as she shook with mirth. "So, what'd I miss, huh?"

"Well, we voted for who should be executed... you and Mondo tied, and you're the tiebreaker." Sonia sighed, accepting the inevitable. "I'm assuming you will not be voting for yourself?"

"Are you kidding me?" Tsumugi mumbled under her breath somewhat bitterly.

"Ibuki feels kind of bad..." she said sadly.

"I see, I see..." Jack nodded to herself. "In that case, I know exactly who to vote for!"

...

...

...

"And? Who are you voting for?" Kaede finally pressed, when Jack fell silent.

At that, Jack gave a fiendish grin and madly cackled some more. "Why myself, of course! That'll teach that hussy for killing Master Shuichi! Nobody kills somebody I was gonna maybe kill before me! _So that rotten bitch will burn in hell!_ Kyehahahaha!"

Shocked silence settled over the courtroom, as everyone processed what just happened.

"Excuse me, what the fuck?" Rantaro breathed out, breaking the silence.

"I'm sorry Jack, but I think you misunderstand." Sonia pressed, clearly stunned. "If Toko is executed, you will perish too. Surely you don't want that?"

"Kekeke. The mind of a serial killer is truly an enigma. They often act outside of logic. To try to understand them based on reasoning is pointless." Korekiyo explained, clearly amused by this turn of events.

"H-he's right," Mikan spoke up, the nurse finally breaking her long silence. "Scientists in the medical field can truly never accurately predict the thoughts of split personalities."

"Sure, I'll die too, but at least I'm taking that hussy with me! Kyehahahaha!" Jack cackled, before she grabbed the taser out of Usami's hands, and shocked herself with it.

Jack flopped down to the floor, but after a few seconds, it was Toko who unsteadily got back up. She gave a slight groan and looked around in an obvious daze. "Huh? What's going on? D-did Jack vote?"

"_Toko Fukawa, the Ultimate Writing Prodigy! You have been found guilty of the murder of Shuichi Saihara! Now it's time for your execution! Let's give it everything we've got!"_ Usami thunderously declared as she flew back to her throne. "_It's punishment time!"_

"Wh-what?! No, no, wait! This has to be a mistake!" Toko cried out, tears trailing down her eyes as she started backing away.

"W-wait! Can't we at least have a minute?!" Chihiro asked desperately.

"Naw, ain't nuthin' we can do now..." Teruteru spoke up, averting his gaze. "We did what he had to do..."

"For what it's worth...I am sorry, Toko. Truly," Kaede replied. She turned her eyes away from her after a moment and used Shuichi's cap to help hide her eyes from view.

"No, wait! Please! I—!" Toko tried to speak up in her defense but was cut off as a mechanical claw extended from the ceiling and clamped around her neck.

Before anyone could react, she was jerked away, and carried off to face her execution...

* * *

A moment later, the tv screens hanging on the walls flickered to life. The screen was pitch black for a moment, until a bright light turned itself on.

Toko Fukawa appeared on the screen, standing on top of a giant piece of blank paper. She looked around in a frantic daze, looking desperately for some avenue of escape. Unbeknownst to her, however, a giant Usami slowly emerged into view behind her.

Before Toko could react, the Mecha-Usami sprung into action. She grabbed the edges of the sheet of paper, and expertly folded the paper up, trapping Toko inside as a result. She shrieked and struggled the best she could, her body flailing against her paper prison, but the material seemed to be too thick for her to break out of.

That wasn't the end of it, however. Seconds later, Mecha-Usami reached behind her back, and pulled out a giant pair of geno-scissors!

_"I like to call this little gem Blood Bath Fever! Fufufu!"_ Mecha-Usami laughed. Then, with a flourish of her scissors, she started to cut.

Toko screamed, as bits of paper, blood, and gore flew into the air from Usami's rapid snipping. All the while Usami continued to cut her, uncaring about her agony and pain. If anything, she seemed to take a perverse delight in Toko's suffering.

Toko continued to wail and screech, blood spraying everywhere...until suddenly, she just stopped. Not long after, Usami stopped her own cutting, and proceeded to unravel the bloody paper. A chain of pink-soaked paper dolls was revealed, with the center doll containing Toko's mangled corpse, pinned to the fabric by her own blood and viscera.

Without a doubt, Toko Fukawa, the Ultimate Writing Prodigy, was dead.

* * *

Cries of terror and dismay filled the room, as the horrid image of Toko's corpse lingered on the tv screens. Kaede herself couldn't help but retch in response, doubled-over as her body was wracked with dry-heaves. If it weren't for the fact she'd thrown up already, she was fairly sure she would have vomited for real just now.

"Oh god…" Teruteru gripped his podium tightly, his body shaking while his face paled to a considerable degree. "Th-this can't be real. Th-this has to be a nightmare! Oh god, oh god…"

"I-I know she was a killer...b-but, even someone like her didn't deserve that!" Tsumugi cried out, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.

"Jesus, this is so messed up!" Akane growled out, narrowing her eyes at Usami. "And I've seen some pretty disturbing shit in my day."

_"Oh shut up already! Jeez, yall act like you haven't seen a dead body already!"_ Usami huffed out, crossing her paws over her chest. _"Bunch a pansies, the lot of ya!"_

Kaede took in some deep, calming breaths, hoping to regain some semblance of control over herself. When she finally did, she glanced around the courtroom, trying to figure out what to say now. What could she say, in the aftermath of that?

Especially considering she had voted for Toko herself…

Byakuya, however, came to her rescue. While a disturbed look hung over his face, nevertheless he did his best to compose himself and speak up. "For better or for worse, it seems this trial is over now. All we can do now is to pick up the pieces, and try to move on. I-!"

"But is it over? Monaca wonders about that," Monaca interrupted, tapping her chin in thought. Oddly enough, she seemed to be the least perturbed out of them all, if the calm look on her face was any indication. "After all, Mondo is still alive, and he actually killed Hifumi in cold blood! And then there's Nagito, who instigated that in the first place...is this matter really over, as long as they're still alive?"

Uneasy glances and accusatory looks were sent to the both of them at Monaca's words. Mondo, for his part, looked suitably shamed, and flinched at their stares. Nagito, however, didn't seem to show the least bit of remorse as he casually gazed back at them all.

"Well, to be fair, I'm not sure you'll have to worry too much about me now...after all, knowing my luck, any more plans of mine wouldn't succeed here. Mostly because you'd all see me coming now," Nagito declared, giving an aloof shrug. A moment later, however, spirals started to dance in his eyes as a crazed look shone across his face.

"Still, I have no problem whatsoever if any of you want to kill me now! In fact, I'd be more than happy to help you out! I don't care if the killer survives, or if everyone but the killer lives...I just want both sides to do their very best! I want to see with my own two eyes...the absolute Hope that lies ahead! I want you to use me as a stepping stone so everyone-!"

Nagito was cut short into his tirade when Mukuro wordlessly marched down from her dais, walked over to him, and smashed her fist against his face. Nagito instantly tumbled to the ground, stopping short a few feet away. Her blow had left him alive, if his rising chest was any indication, but he was definitely knocked out cold.

"I have been waiting for the entire trial to do that," Mukuro muttered aloud, looking faintly pleased with herself.

Kaede stared a little uneasily at Nagito's crumpled body, though if she was being honest with herself she hardly felt any remorse for him. It wasn't as if he hadn't had this coming.

"I think...the best we can do, for now, is to try and move on with our lives," Kaede spoke up after a moment, glancing warily at Mondo, before gazing over to Byakuya. "We can work something out in regards to Mondo and Nagito later. Right now...I think it's best if we all get some rest, and decompress from all this. I think I speak for everyone when I say that this has been an...incredibly taxing morning."

God, was it still only morning? It felt like they'd been going at this all day, but only two hours had passed since the start of the trial. It was definitely going to be a long, unbearable day once they got out of here...but still, it'd be better than being stuck in this courtroom a minute longer.

"I agree with Kaede," Byakuya said, giving her a faint smile. "With this...crisis solved, I think we should adjourn for now."

_"Oh? And who died and make YOU queen, Twogami? This ain't over until I say it is!"_ Usami abruptly interjected.

Kaede froze, before glancing over uncertainly at their robotic captor. She swallowed nervously, before asking, "But what's left? We did what you wanted. We solved the murders, and voted for the Blackened. What more do you want from us?"

"_Fufufu, you say that like I'm a bad host or something! After all, I'm only doing what's in the best interest for you all. And because you did such a good job in solving this case...I think it's time for a little reward. A little trip down memory lane, huh?"_ Usami replied with an ominous cackle.

Before Kaede could begin to question her further, Usami reached behind her throne and pulled out...well, what she could only describe as a bulky, more sci-fi looking version of a flashlight. Usami aimed the flashlight in their general direction, and smiled widely at them.

_"What was that you guys said earlier? You've all known each other for a few days? Oh me, oh my! How quaint of an idea. And how_ **wrong** _it is. Do you want to know the truth? Do you want to know how_ **futile** _your cute little struggles and arguments have been? How_ **pointless** _these murders were? Then again...I suppose it's only inevitable. Stripping away a year's worth of memories really does show your true selves! Shuichi more than proved that case, fufufu. But now...it's time to peel back the curtain! Let's return to the past now, shall we?"_

With that, Usami activated the strange flashlight, and Kaede's entire world disappeared, as she was consumed by a brilliant white light.

* * *

**17 Students Remain**

* * *

_With special thanks to JC for helping to write this chapter!_


End file.
